Inaccurate WX report by automated equipment.

Attributes
ACN	254714
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : imt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	254714
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This report has to do with unsafe WX reporting practices. I was en route to imt on top of a thin broken layer at 3500 ft MSL. I called grb FSS to get imt's latest reported WX. They said it was reported as 4000 ft scattered, no visibility reported. I said there is an error on that report, it probably should be 400 scattered. He checked the last 3 reports and said no, they all showed 4000 ft. I said I'm here and telling you that report is incorrect and you should do whatever you can to correct it. After arriving at imt I went to see the people at an onfield airline (they turn in the sa reports). There was no one there -- the desk was closed. I then called the onfield noncommissioned ASOS machine and I received the same bogus WX report that flight service had received. This is not an isolated incident. I have reported this and other such reports to grb FSS. It seems that they are turning in WX from a machine that doesn't work. The difference between 400 ft and 4000 ft could kill a low time pilot!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INACCURATE WX RPT BY AUTOMATED EQUIP.

Narrative: THIS RPT HAS TO DO WITH UNSAFE WX RPTING PRACTICES. I WAS ENRTE TO IMT ON TOP OF A THIN BROKEN LAYER AT 3500 FT MSL. I CALLED GRB FSS TO GET IMT'S LATEST RPTED WX. THEY SAID IT WAS RPTED AS 4000 FT SCATTERED, NO VISIBILITY RPTED. I SAID THERE IS AN ERROR ON THAT RPT, IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE 400 SCATTERED. HE CHKED THE LAST 3 RPTS AND SAID NO, THEY ALL SHOWED 4000 FT. I SAID I'M HERE AND TELLING YOU THAT RPT IS INCORRECT AND YOU SHOULD DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO CORRECT IT. AFTER ARRIVING AT IMT I WENT TO SEE THE PEOPLE AT AN ONFIELD AIRLINE (THEY TURN IN THE SA RPTS). THERE WAS NO ONE THERE -- THE DESK WAS CLOSED. I THEN CALLED THE ONFIELD NONCOMMISSIONED ASOS MACHINE AND I RECEIVED THE SAME BOGUS WX RPT THAT FLT SVC HAD RECEIVED. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I HAVE RPTED THIS AND OTHER SUCH RPTS TO GRB FSS. IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE TURNING IN WX FROM A MACHINE THAT DOESN'T WORK. THE DIFFERENCE BTWN 400 FT AND 4000 FT COULD KILL A LOW TIME PLT!

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.