Commuter part 135 flight crew says their operation landing was not safe because WX observer had left...

Attributes
ACN	104528
Time
Date	198902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aex
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 3700
ASRS Report	104592
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were dispatch from mem under part 135 rules IFR to esf. En route high headwinds were encountered which would and did delay our arrival into esf. Upon arriving in the airport area/control zone about 10 mins to XA00 pm we were instructed to hold over the IAF due to 1 aircraft departing. At XA00 hours local, we were cleared for the approach (ILS). Our contracted WX observed leaves the filed at XA00 hours after his final sa observation. At such a critical time we were faced with the observed leaving the airport, therefore making the report invalid (ie, special report due to change in WX is unavailable). The approach and landing was completed west/O incident. This has been a gray area with the company's interpretations that contrast with the pilot group. The pilot's concerns lie within the far 135.229 (B)(1) airport requirement and 135.219 and also our operations specifications chapter 2(B), pages 30 and 31--'must have observed there at all times to land.' poor coordination with flight control, local station personnel to keep observer there, observer's response, 'your company does not pay me to stay after XA00.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER PART 135 FLT CREW SAYS THEIR OPERATION LNDG WAS NOT SAFE BECAUSE WX OBSERVER HAD LEFT THE ARPT BEFORE THEY LANDED.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCH FROM MEM UNDER PART 135 RULES IFR TO ESF. ENRTE HIGH HEADWINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED WHICH WOULD AND DID DELAY OUR ARR INTO ESF. UPON ARRIVING IN THE ARPT AREA/CTL ZONE ABOUT 10 MINS TO XA00 PM WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD OVER THE IAF DUE TO 1 ACFT DEPARTING. AT XA00 HRS LCL, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH (ILS). OUR CONTRACTED WX OBSERVED LEAVES THE FILED AT XA00 HRS AFTER HIS FINAL SA OBSERVATION. AT SUCH A CRITICAL TIME WE WERE FACED WITH THE OBSERVED LEAVING THE ARPT, THEREFORE MAKING THE RPT INVALID (IE, SPECIAL RPT DUE TO CHANGE IN WX IS UNAVAILABLE). THE APCH AND LNDG WAS COMPLETED W/O INCIDENT. THIS HAS BEEN A GRAY AREA WITH THE COMPANY'S INTERPRETATIONS THAT CONTRAST WITH THE PLT GROUP. THE PLT'S CONCERNS LIE WITHIN THE FAR 135.229 (B)(1) ARPT REQUIREMENT AND 135.219 AND ALSO OUR OPS SPECS CHAPTER 2(B), PAGES 30 AND 31--'MUST HAVE OBSERVED THERE AT ALL TIMES TO LAND.' POOR COORD WITH FLT CONTROL, LCL STATION PERSONNEL TO KEEP OBSERVER THERE, OBSERVER'S RESPONSE, 'YOUR COMPANY DOES NOT PAY ME TO STAY AFTER XA00.'

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.

Commuter part 135 flight crew says their operation landing was not safe because WX observer had left the airport before they landed.