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Reporter implied that the ASOS issued an inaccurate observation. The NWS personnel agreed but would not correct it unitl notified by the tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 341784 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sbn |
| State Reference | IN |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : flight data |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 2 |
| ASRS Report | 341784 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Sbn ASOS equipment was commissioned on or about jul/mon/96. The local NWS is maintaining an office on the airport to augment the ASOS equipment. ASOS is reporting conditions which are not consistent with the actual WX conditions. It may report an overcast layer when the clouds are actually scattered, or clear when it may be broken. The NWS observers have agreed that the ASOS observation was not correct but have not corrected the data unless a 'special' observation would be required. This policy is unsatisfactory for ATC uses of WX information. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said the facility atm has discussed the problem with chicago and kansas city offices of NWS. Reporter indicated they agree that the NWS should correct the WX but the local NWS wants the tower to inform them when the WX is incorrect. Reporter said the controllers are not WX certified. Reporter would like the NWS to observe the ASOS WX when reported and then make any corrections at that time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR IMPLIED THAT THE ASOS ISSUED AN INACCURATE OBSERVATION. THE NWS PERSONNEL AGREED BUT WOULD NOT CORRECT IT UNITL NOTIFIED BY THE TWR.
Narrative: SBN ASOS EQUIP WAS COMMISSIONED ON OR ABOUT JUL/MON/96. THE LCL NWS IS MAINTAINING AN OFFICE ON THE ARPT TO AUGMENT THE ASOS EQUIP. ASOS IS RPTING CONDITIONS WHICH ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE ACTUAL WX CONDITIONS. IT MAY RPT AN OVCST LAYER WHEN THE CLOUDS ARE ACTUALLY SCATTERED, OR CLR WHEN IT MAY BE BROKEN. THE NWS OBSERVERS HAVE AGREED THAT THE ASOS OBSERVATION WAS NOT CORRECT BUT HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE DATA UNLESS A 'SPECIAL' OBSERVATION WOULD BE REQUIRED. THIS POLICY IS UNSATISFACTORY FOR ATC USES OF WX INFO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THE FACILITY ATM HAS DISCUSSED THE PROB WITH CHICAGO AND KANSAS CITY OFFICES OF NWS. RPTR INDICATED THEY AGREE THAT THE NWS SHOULD CORRECT THE WX BUT THE LCL NWS WANTS THE TWR TO INFORM THEM WHEN THE WX IS INCORRECT. RPTR SAID THE CTLRS ARE NOT WX CERTIFIED. RPTR WOULD LIKE THE NWS TO OBSERVE THE ASOS WX WHEN RPTED AND THEN MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS AT THAT TIME.
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.