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ATC reporter claims that TRACON's ASR-9 process inaccurate and false WX returns indicating that level 1 through level 6 WX is in the area, when it is not. Reporter questions the accuracy and reliability of the system.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 340485 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fwa |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mco |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 8 controller radar : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 340485 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Up to level 6 WX had been through the fwa area and the ASR-9 radar was displaying up to level 6 WX that was not really present. These false WX displays drastically increase controller workload because we are unable to determine what is real WX from false WX echoes until we receive PIREPS. The ASOS at fwa is not reliable, for example ASOS was calling the WX clear 7 mi visibility in light rain when there was an overcast layer at 7000 ft. Another ASOS observation was reporting 200 ft scattered when no clouds wre visible from the tower below 7000 ft. I have seen thunderstorms in progress at the airport and the ASOS wasn't reporting it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATC RPTR CLAIMS THAT TRACON'S ASR-9 PROCESS INACCURATE AND FALSE WX RETURNS INDICATING THAT LEVEL 1 THROUGH LEVEL 6 WX IS IN THE AREA, WHEN IT IS NOT. RPTR QUESTIONS THE ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF THE SYS.
Narrative: UP TO LEVEL 6 WX HAD BEEN THROUGH THE FWA AREA AND THE ASR-9 RADAR WAS DISPLAYING UP TO LEVEL 6 WX THAT WAS NOT REALLY PRESENT. THESE FALSE WX DISPLAYS DRASTICALLY INCREASE CTLR WORKLOAD BECAUSE WE ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT IS REAL WX FROM FALSE WX ECHOES UNTIL WE RECEIVE PIREPS. THE ASOS AT FWA IS NOT RELIABLE, FOR EXAMPLE ASOS WAS CALLING THE WX CLR 7 MI VISIBILITY IN LIGHT RAIN WHEN THERE WAS AN OVCST LAYER AT 7000 FT. ANOTHER ASOS OBSERVATION WAS RPTING 200 FT SCATTERED WHEN NO CLOUDS WRE VISIBLE FROM THE TWR BELOW 7000 FT. I HAVE SEEN TSTMS IN PROGRESS AT THE ARPT AND THE ASOS WASN'T RPTING IT.
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.