Windsock indicating wind from south, tower continued to use runway 4 for departure.

Attributes
ACN	93732
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 2i4
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	93732
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A flight instructor and another man came outside and looked up at the flags to the south of the tower and commented about the wind. The flags and 2 windsocks on the field indicated that the wind was from the south. I spoke with them briefly, asking why the tower had traffic using runway 4 instead of runway 22. There were at least 4 aircraft in the pattern. They said that they couldn't figure it out either, and I went to my plane. After preflight, I called ground and asked for a wind check...120 at 8. I started up and lined up with the windsock. 170 degree. Then I called the tower (ground + tower = same person this shift) and said I didn't mean to split hair, but the wind was from the south, thinking that I did not want to depart to the north with a tailwind on takeoff. The controller said that my indications were wrong and instructed me to taxi to runway 4. As I was by myself in a lightly loaded airplane, I decided to go with the tailwind. I considered this to be an unsafe situation if not for myself, then for someone else less experienced, more heavily loaded, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WINDSOCK INDICATING WIND FROM SOUTH, TWR CONTINUED TO USE RWY 4 FOR DEPARTURE.

Narrative: A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND ANOTHER MAN CAME OUTSIDE AND LOOKED UP AT THE FLAGS TO THE S OF THE TWR AND COMMENTED ABOUT THE WIND. THE FLAGS AND 2 WINDSOCKS ON THE FIELD INDICATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE S. I SPOKE WITH THEM BRIEFLY, ASKING WHY THE TWR HAD TFC USING RWY 4 INSTEAD OF RWY 22. THERE WERE AT LEAST 4 ACFT IN THE PATTERN. THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT EITHER, AND I WENT TO MY PLANE. AFTER PREFLT, I CALLED GND AND ASKED FOR A WIND CHK...120 AT 8. I STARTED UP AND LINED UP WITH THE WINDSOCK. 170 DEG. THEN I CALLED THE TWR (GND + TWR = SAME PERSON THIS SHIFT) AND SAID I DIDN'T MEAN TO SPLIT HAIR, BUT THE WIND WAS FROM THE S, THINKING THAT I DID NOT WANT TO DEPART TO THE N WITH A TAILWIND ON TKOF. THE CTLR SAID THAT MY INDICATIONS WERE WRONG AND INSTRUCTED ME TO TAXI TO RWY 4. AS I WAS BY MYSELF IN A LIGHTLY LOADED AIRPLANE, I DECIDED TO GO WITH THE TAILWIND. I CONSIDERED THIS TO BE AN UNSAFE SITUATION IF NOT FOR MYSELF, THEN FOR SOMEONE ELSE LESS EXPERIENCED, MORE HEAVILY LOADED, ETC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.