Reporter questions validity of WX reported by company ground personnel or by AWOS.

Attributes
ACN	189625
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jac
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6447 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	189625
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Checked FSS and center (den and slc) for updated WX at jac. Nobody had it. Called station (company) given indefinite and 1 mi. AWOS gave ceiling as 'missing' and 1/2 mi. Obviously there was some kind of problem with AWOS so we had company station personnel verify that they were current certified WX observers. Shot the approach based on that WX. After a miss they told us that visibility was variable but still a mi. We made 1 more approach without seeing the airport and went to our alternate. The problem was 'where is the priority'? 1) automated machine or qualified observer, or 2) incomplete automated or qualified observer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR QUESTIONS VALIDITY OF WX RPTED BY CGP OR BY AWOS.

Narrative: CHKED FSS AND CENTER (DEN AND SLC) FOR UPDATED WX AT JAC. NOBODY HAD IT. CALLED STATION (COMPANY) GIVEN INDEFINITE AND 1 MI. AWOS GAVE CEILING AS 'MISSING' AND 1/2 MI. OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS SOME KIND OF PROBLEM WITH AWOS SO WE HAD COMPANY STATION PERSONNEL VERIFY THAT THEY WERE CURRENT CERTIFIED WX OBSERVERS. SHOT THE APCH BASED ON THAT WX. AFTER A MISS THEY TOLD US THAT VISIBILITY WAS VARIABLE BUT STILL A MI. WE MADE 1 MORE APCH WITHOUT SEEING THE ARPT AND WENT TO OUR ALTERNATE. THE PROBLEM WAS 'WHERE IS THE PRIORITY'? 1) AUTOMATED MACHINE OR QUALIFIED OBSERVER, OR 2) INCOMPLETE AUTOMATED OR QUALIFIED OBSERVER.

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.