ASOS reported WX clear below 12000 ft -- the WX was hazy over the ASOS site. The 600 ft ceiling in t...

Attributes
ACN	337047
Time
Date	199605
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sat
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	337047
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ASOS equipment in use. ASOS WX showed clear below 12000 ft. Over the ASOS site, the WX was hazy. Over the entire western half of our airspace, including the ILS approach final to runway 12R, our primary landing runway, the bases were 600 ft and tops 1100 ft. Looking at the WX readout, I was prepared for visual approachs until the tower informed me otherwise. We are not yet certified lawrs observers and contract WX man never augmented the WX. Some WX men trust the ASOS and seldom look out to verify the readings. A similar incident in the recent past forced me to scramble at the last moment to run a surveillance approach when both the pilot and myself were expecting a simple visual approach. The ASOS is a big backward step in aviation WX and has definitely caused a denigration of service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASOS RPTED WX CLR BELOW 12000 FT -- THE WX WAS HAZY OVER THE ASOS SITE. THE 600 FT CEILING IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE AIRSPACE WAS NOT RPTED. THE RPTR HAD PLANNED VISUAL APCHS UNTIL INFORMED BY THE TWR OF THE WX.

Narrative: ASOS EQUIP IN USE. ASOS WX SHOWED CLR BELOW 12000 FT. OVER THE ASOS SITE, THE WX WAS HAZY. OVER THE ENTIRE WESTERN HALF OF OUR AIRSPACE, INCLUDING THE ILS APCH FINAL TO RWY 12R, OUR PRIMARY LNDG RWY, THE BASES WERE 600 FT AND TOPS 1100 FT. LOOKING AT THE WX READOUT, I WAS PREPARED FOR VISUAL APCHS UNTIL THE TWR INFORMED ME OTHERWISE. WE ARE NOT YET CERTIFIED LAWRS OBSERVERS AND CONTRACT WX MAN NEVER AUGMENTED THE WX. SOME WX MEN TRUST THE ASOS AND SELDOM LOOK OUT TO VERIFY THE READINGS. A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN THE RECENT PAST FORCED ME TO SCRAMBLE AT THE LAST MOMENT TO RUN A SURVEILLANCE APCH WHEN BOTH THE PLT AND MYSELF WERE EXPECTING A SIMPLE VISUAL APCH. THE ASOS IS A BIG BACKWARD STEP IN AVIATION WX AND HAS DEFINITELY CAUSED A DENIGRATION OF SVC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

ASOS reported WX clear below 12000 ft -- the WX was hazy over the ASOS site. The 600 ft ceiling in the western part of the airspace was not reported. The reporter had planned visual approachs until informed by the tower of the WX.