<< >> NASA ASRS Report 445185, August 1999

Agc controller perceives that augmentation data is not being timely used to update contract WX observations in ASOS broadcasts.

Attributes
ACN	445185
Time
Date	199908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : agc.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 1252
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Experience	controller non radar : 9 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	445185
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : asos other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Company FAA Weather
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : agc.tower

Narrative:

ASOS is used at agc, which is to be augmented by 24 hour WX personnel and relayed to the tower. At approximately XA50 a light to moderate rain fell. The visibility was slightly reduced, however, the most distant visibility markers were still visible (7 mi). The rain lasted 5-10 mins, yet ASOS reported '3 SM plus rain broken.' no augmentation occurred. Additionally, after this rain system moved away from agc, several flashes of lightning in clouds was observed by me. Again, no augmentation! While I will give any and all pilots all information at my disposal, including personal observations that may not be reported by ASOS, this ASOS report provides pilots with false and erroneous information and again proves that nothing, including ASOS, could ever take the place of a vigilant human! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter held WX 'cto' at last station. Agc has 24 hour contract observers on site. Reporter concerned with response time of certain contract observers. Reporter advises that he does not always call down to WX, but expects they see what he sees and should react accordingly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGC CTLR PERCEIVES THAT AUGMENTATION DATA IS NOT BEING TIMELY USED TO UPDATE CONTRACT WX OBSERVATIONS IN ASOS BROADCASTS.

Narrative: ASOS IS USED AT AGC, WHICH IS TO BE AUGMENTED BY 24 HR WX PERSONNEL AND RELAYED TO THE TWR. AT APPROX XA50 A LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN FELL. THE VISIBILITY WAS SLIGHTLY REDUCED, HOWEVER, THE MOST DISTANT VISIBILITY MARKERS WERE STILL VISIBLE (7 MI). THE RAIN LASTED 5-10 MINS, YET ASOS RPTED '3 SM PLUS RAIN BROKEN.' NO AUGMENTATION OCCURRED. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER THIS RAIN SYSTEM MOVED AWAY FROM AGC, SEVERAL FLASHES OF LIGHTNING IN CLOUDS WAS OBSERVED BY ME. AGAIN, NO AUGMENTATION! WHILE I WILL GIVE ANY AND ALL PLTS ALL INFO AT MY DISPOSAL, INCLUDING PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS THAT MAY NOT BE RPTED BY ASOS, THIS ASOS RPT PROVIDES PLTS WITH FALSE AND ERRONEOUS INFO AND AGAIN PROVES THAT NOTHING, INCLUDING ASOS, COULD EVER TAKE THE PLACE OF A VIGILANT HUMAN! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HELD WX 'CTO' AT LAST STATION. AGC HAS 24 HR CONTRACT OBSERVERS ON SITE. RPTR CONCERNED WITH RESPONSE TIME OF CERTAIN CONTRACT OBSERVERS. RPTR ADVISES THAT HE DOES NOT ALWAYS CALL DOWN TO WX, BUT EXPECTS THEY SEE WHAT HE SEES AND SHOULD REACT ACCORDINGLY.

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.