BA46 crew was unable to receive the airport ATIS information until only 10 mi from the airport.

Attributes
ACN	538765
Time
Date	200202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn.airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	HS 125 Series 1-600
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	538765
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Facility

Narrative:

On approach to hpn (white plains, ny) the ATIS is unreadable. Unless we are within 10 NM on the cmk VOR or 10 NM of the airport, it is too weak to hear. By then we are too busy to listen and usually have gotten the WX from approach control. We pick up most ATIS at least 80 NM out. The problem has existed for a least 2 months now. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot reports that the ATIS on 116.6 is the arrival frequency and 133.8 is the departure frequency. The crew tried both frequencys and were unsuccessful until too late to make any difference. Pilot would like to receive ATIS before the start of descent so that cockpit workload would not be adversely impacted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BA46 CREW WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE THE ARPT ATIS INFO UNTIL ONLY 10 MI FROM THE ARPT.

Narrative: ON APCH TO HPN (WHITE PLAINS, NY) THE ATIS IS UNREADABLE. UNLESS WE ARE WITHIN 10 NM ON THE CMK VOR OR 10 NM OF THE ARPT, IT IS TOO WEAK TO HEAR. BY THEN WE ARE TOO BUSY TO LISTEN AND USUALLY HAVE GOTTEN THE WX FROM APCH CTL. WE PICK UP MOST ATIS AT LEAST 80 NM OUT. THE PROB HAS EXISTED FOR A LEAST 2 MONTHS NOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT RPTS THAT THE ATIS ON 116.6 IS THE ARRIVAL FREQ AND 133.8 IS THE DEP FREQ. THE CREW TRIED BOTH FREQS AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL UNTIL TOO LATE TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. PLT WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE ATIS BEFORE THE START OF DESCENT SO THAT COCKPIT WORKLOAD WOULD NOT BE ADVERSELY IMPACTED.

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.