Small transport air carrier aircraft has misinformation reference WX from AWOS.

Attributes
ACN	290616
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fyu
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ywg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	290616
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight to fort yukon leaving fairbanks at XX00AM. I left fairbanks on a IFR flight plan. WX en route was very good, clear sky and visibility was unrestr. So about 50 mi out of fyu I canceled IFR and proceeded in VFR conditions and about 30 mi south of fyu I can see the airport beacon. I then call fairbanks FSS 122.1 and give them an accurate pilot report. Later on I check the AWOS in fyu and it is reporting below basic VFR WX mins. Being that I am in class G airspace with a clear sky and flight visibility greater than 30 SM I proceed. Getting closer to the airport, I can see patchy areas with ice fog in the vicinity of fyu report. I continue and land and takeoff again and never at any point have less than the required 3 SM flight visibility (and clear sky above me). The problem with AWOS WX stations is that they are only able to read the WX accurately, at one point and that point only. It doesn't give us an accurate report in all directions of the sky, which you would get from a personal WX observer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ACR ACFT HAS MISINFORMATION REF WX FROM AWOS.

Narrative: FLT TO FORT YUKON LEAVING FAIRBANKS AT XX00AM. I LEFT FAIRBANKS ON A IFR FLT PLAN. WX ENRTE WAS VERY GOOD, CLR SKY AND VISIBILITY WAS UNRESTR. SO ABOUT 50 MI OUT OF FYU I CANCELED IFR AND PROCEEDED IN VFR CONDITIONS AND ABOUT 30 MI S OF FYU I CAN SEE THE ARPT BEACON. I THEN CALL FAIRBANKS FSS 122.1 AND GIVE THEM AN ACCURATE PLT RPT. LATER ON I CHK THE AWOS IN FYU AND IT IS RPTING BELOW BASIC VFR WX MINS. BEING THAT I AM IN CLASS G AIRSPACE WITH A CLR SKY AND FLT VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 30 SM I PROCEED. GETTING CLOSER TO THE ARPT, I CAN SEE PATCHY AREAS WITH ICE FOG IN THE VICINITY OF FYU RPT. I CONTINUE AND LAND AND TKOF AGAIN AND NEVER AT ANY POINT HAVE LESS THAN THE REQUIRED 3 SM FLT VISIBILITY (AND CLR SKY ABOVE ME). THE PROB WITH AWOS WX STATIONS IS THAT THEY ARE ONLY ABLE TO READ THE WX ACCURATELY, AT ONE POINT AND THAT POINT ONLY. IT DOESN'T GIVE US AN ACCURATE RPT IN ALL DIRECTIONS OF THE SKY, WHICH YOU WOULD GET FROM A PERSONAL WX 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.