<< >> NASA ASRS Report 353734, November 1996

Approach controller says the ASOS was reporting inaccurate WX and had verified the ceiling with pilots who made approachs and lndgs. Quality assurance specialist was notified who in turn notified the contract WX people. The WX person said they had to use the ASOS WX.

Attributes
ACN	353734
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abi
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abi
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	353734
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

On this date ASOS was reporting ceiling as overcast 006. I had several pilots landing and departing reporting the bases were 400 ft AGL. Later as the ceiling came down, pilots were reporting bases at 200-300 ft, ASOS was reporting overcast 004. I reported this to our quality assurance specialist. She called the NWS contractors to advise them. They stated they had to 'go by ASOS.' later that evening, pilot reported the bases at 1500 ft AGL (landing and departing). ASOS was reporting overcast 018.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR SAYS THE ASOS WAS RPTING INACCURATE WX AND HAD VERIFIED THE CEILING WITH PLTS WHO MADE APCHS AND LNDGS. QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST WAS NOTIFIED WHO IN TURN NOTIFIED THE CONTRACT WX PEOPLE. THE WX PERSON SAID THEY HAD TO USE THE ASOS WX.

Narrative: ON THIS DATE ASOS WAS RPTING CEILING AS OVCST 006. I HAD SEVERAL PLTS LNDG AND DEPARTING RPTING THE BASES WERE 400 FT AGL. LATER AS THE CEILING CAME DOWN, PLTS WERE RPTING BASES AT 200-300 FT, ASOS WAS RPTING OVCST 004. I RPTED THIS TO OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST. SHE CALLED THE NWS CONTRACTORS TO ADVISE THEM. THEY STATED THEY HAD TO 'GO BY ASOS.' LATER THAT EVENING, PLT RPTED THE BASES AT 1500 FT AGL (LNDG AND DEPARTING). ASOS WAS RPTING OVCST 018.

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.