An air carrier medium large transport pilot noted that sfo ATIS was corrected without changing the c...

Attributes
ACN	242806
Time
Date	199305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	242806
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

This is an ATIS error. Inbound to srq, ILS to runway 19L, I received ATIS information '1'. '1' was over an hour old, so I checked for new information. Shortly ATIS '2' was put out with a time of HA50Z. The altimeter on '1' was 29.89 but '2' reported altimeter of 29.98. This seemed like an error to have such a large altimeter change, so I listened for a correction. '2' ran several times, then stopped. New ATIS information was transmitted with altimeter of 29.88. But this corrected ATIS was called '2', also with time HA50Z. Same name, same time, different altimeter. If someone had copied the bad '2', told approach they had '2', shot a CAT IIIA, it could have been a problem. The approach controller heard '2' but didn't realize there were two '2's.' all pilots use ATIS information a great deal. We go to minimums using ATIS information. If an error is made, WX changes, runway changes, put out new information, but always use a new letter name, so the controller is sure the information is current.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG PLT NOTED THAT SFO ATIS WAS CORRECTED WITHOUT CHANGING THE CODE NAME.

Narrative: THIS IS AN ATIS ERROR. INBOUND TO SRQ, ILS TO RWY 19L, I RECEIVED ATIS INFO '1'. '1' WAS OVER AN HR OLD, SO I CHKED FOR NEW INFO. SHORTLY ATIS '2' WAS PUT OUT WITH A TIME OF HA50Z. THE ALTIMETER ON '1' WAS 29.89 BUT '2' RPTED ALTIMETER OF 29.98. THIS SEEMED LIKE AN ERROR TO HAVE SUCH A LARGE ALTIMETER CHANGE, SO I LISTENED FOR A CORRECTION. '2' RAN SEVERAL TIMES, THEN STOPPED. NEW ATIS INFO WAS XMITTED WITH ALTIMETER OF 29.88. BUT THIS CORRECTED ATIS WAS CALLED '2', ALSO WITH TIME HA50Z. SAME NAME, SAME TIME, DIFFERENT ALTIMETER. IF SOMEONE HAD COPIED THE BAD '2', TOLD APCH THEY HAD '2', SHOT A CAT IIIA, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A PROB. THE APCH CTLR HEARD '2' BUT DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WERE TWO '2'S.' ALL PLTS USE ATIS INFO A GREAT DEAL. WE GO TO MINIMUMS USING ATIS INFO. IF AN ERROR IS MADE, WX CHANGES, RWY CHANGES, PUT OUT NEW INFO, BUT ALWAYS USE A NEW LETTER NAME, SO THE CTLR IS SURE THE INFO IS CURRENT.

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.

An air carrier medium large transport pilot noted that sfo ATIS was corrected without changing the code name.