Narrative:

On sep/xx/94 an aircraft became disoriented on a flight over the northern rocky mountains. The aircraft was located and guided to a safe landing. During the orientation of the aircraft, the ATC specialist was unable to obtain a WX report for dillon, mt. The specialist relied on the relay of unofficial WX information from uncertified persons. The visibility at the airport was limited to 3-4 mi due to smoke, according to the 'unofficial observer.' this obtaining of unofficial WX by itself is not that unusual in an emergency situation. I might add, the aircraft landed with an estimated 15 min of fuel remaining. What is frustrating, however, is the fact that the airport at dillon, mt, has ASOS (automated surface observation system) equipment in operation. This equipment (which has been installed for over 2 yrs) provides altimeter setting information, is not commissioned and cannot be used. One can only speculate on the outcome of this orientation problem, had ground personnel not been available to provide local WX conditions. I have decided to pass this problem along via this path (NASA) instead of using an official FAA suggestion. The reason being, there is a communication problem (I believe) between the FAA and NWS in finding appropriate funding for telephone lines between the several as yet commissioned ASOS sites in the state of montana. I hope that an independent investigation can ascertain the critical need for the commissioning of all ASOS equipped sites. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter informed that ASOS has a lot of problems and FAA policy is not to commission any more units until problems are worked out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X WAS LOST AND FSS SPECIALIST REORIENTED THE PLT AND PLT MADE SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: ON SEP/XX/94 AN ACFT BECAME DISORIENTED ON A FLT OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS. THE ACFT WAS LOCATED AND GUIDED TO A SAFE LNDG. DURING THE ORIENTATION OF THE ACFT, THE ATC SPECIALIST WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN A WX RPT FOR DILLON, MT. THE SPECIALIST RELIED ON THE RELAY OF UNOFFICIAL WX INFO FROM UNCERTIFIED PERSONS. THE VISIBILITY AT THE ARPT WAS LIMITED TO 3-4 MI DUE TO SMOKE, ACCORDING TO THE 'UNOFFICIAL OBSERVER.' THIS OBTAINING OF UNOFFICIAL WX BY ITSELF IS NOT THAT UNUSUAL IN AN EMER SIT. I MIGHT ADD, THE ACFT LANDED WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MIN OF FUEL REMAINING. WHAT IS FRUSTRATING, HOWEVER, IS THE FACT THAT THE ARPT AT DILLON, MT, HAS ASOS (AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVATION SYS) EQUIP IN OP. THIS EQUIP (WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED FOR OVER 2 YRS) PROVIDES ALTIMETER SETTING INFO, IS NOT COMMISSIONED AND CANNOT BE USED. ONE CAN ONLY SPECULATE ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS ORIENTATION PROB, HAD GND PERSONNEL NOT BEEN AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE LCL WX CONDITIONS. I HAVE DECIDED TO PASS THIS PROB ALONG VIA THIS PATH (NASA) INSTEAD OF USING AN OFFICIAL FAA SUGGESTION. THE REASON BEING, THERE IS A COM PROB (I BELIEVE) BTWN THE FAA AND NWS IN FINDING APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR TELEPHONE LINES BTWN THE SEVERAL AS YET COMMISSIONED ASOS SITES IN THE STATE OF MONTANA. I HOPE THAT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION CAN ASCERTAIN THE CRITICAL NEED FOR THE COMMISSIONING OF ALL ASOS EQUIPPED SITES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INFORMED THAT ASOS HAS A LOT OF PROBS AND FAA POLICY IS NOT TO COMMISSION ANY MORE UNITS UNTIL PROBS ARE WORKED OUT.

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.