 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
When ATC apparently forgot to make the switch from ATIS to AWOS weather reporting the flight crew of an air carrier flight failed to note the error and landed utilizing a report some seven hours old which differed significantly; especially with respect to wind direction and velocity.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1189882 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201407 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 10 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Landing |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
I was pilot flying on the leg when my first officer accessed ATIS which; according to the chart; is AWOS when the tower is closed. The weather we got was 230@5; 10 SM; 4;500 broken; 29/23; 29.96. My approach suggested that the wind was not quite as reported; but the landing was uneventful. After taxiing in and shutting down; I checked the ATIS/AWOS again; and we'd copied down the weather correctly. The problem was that it was not AWOS; but rather; it was ATIS zulu. Tower evidently forgot to switch it over to AWOS when they closed. The weather was from XA45Z; and we were landing almost 7 hours later. The actual weather (we were able to get it afterwards on my first officer's phone) was 350@11g18; 10 SM; 3;900 ovc; 20/17; 30.05. We thought we had current weather; but due to what probably was tower's mistake; we did not.if both pilots independently listened to the weather; one of us might have noticed that it was ATIS and not AWOS; at a time when the tower normally is closed. It was a short flight; and I was trying to avoid areas of lightning. Also; if the pilot who copies the ATIS/AWOS routinely includes the zulu time which is broadcast with it; that might have alerted us that something wasn't quite right. Also; if the tower personnel do not have a departure checklist that includes switching the ATIS to AWOS; adding such a checklist/procedure might prevent a recurrence.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: When ATC apparently forgot to make the switch from ATIS to AWOS weather reporting the flight crew of an air carrier flight failed to note the error and landed utilizing a report some seven hours old which differed significantly; especially with respect to wind direction and velocity.
Narrative: I was pilot flying on the leg when my First Officer accessed ATIS which; according to the chart; is AWOS when the Tower is closed. The weather we got was 230@5; 10 SM; 4;500 BKN; 29/23; 29.96. My approach suggested that the wind was not quite as reported; but the landing was uneventful. After taxiing in and shutting down; I checked the ATIS/AWOS again; and we'd copied down the weather correctly. The problem was that it was not AWOS; but rather; it was ATIS Zulu. Tower evidently forgot to switch it over to AWOS when they closed. The weather was from XA45Z; and we were landing almost 7 hours later. The actual weather (we were able to get it afterwards on my First Officer's phone) was 350@11G18; 10 SM; 3;900 OVC; 20/17; 30.05. We thought we had current weather; but due to what probably was Tower's mistake; we did not.If both pilots independently listened to the weather; one of us might have noticed that it was ATIS and not AWOS; at a time when the Tower normally is closed. It was a short flight; and I was trying to avoid areas of lightning. Also; if the pilot who copies the ATIS/AWOS routinely includes the Zulu Time which is broadcast with it; that might have alerted us that something wasn't quite right. Also; if the Tower personnel do not have a departure checklist that includes switching the ATIS to AWOS; adding such a checklist/procedure might prevent a recurrence.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.