Narrative:

This event highlights the 'step backwards' the aviation community took, as automated WX reporting replaced the human WX observer at so many locations across the country. Ely, nv, was reporting the following automated report: ely XA53 sa aoza 55 scattered 10 plus mi visibility 110/40/23/1430/993 tno zrno. Air carrier X was inbound to ely (VOR/DME OTS) from the north on what is normally V269 at 20000 ft descending to 14000 ft. The radar controller didn't suspect a problem because the WX looked fine. On radar vector 140 degrees over ely airport, controller expected a cancellation. Controller was surprised to learn air carrier X was still IMC at 14000 ft. The automated WX failed to tell the whole story! With a 13000 ft mountain (wheeler peak) just south of ely, and the VOR being OTS, had the sector been busy, the controller may have missed X flying right past ely and within 1000 ft of a mountain. This did not happen, but I suppose 100 other things could have happened, too. The point is that the WX report failed. It failed to provide the controller with the information he needed to do his job! Had a WX observer been employed to make an observation the controller would have been able to do his job the way he should do it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this is not the first time the ASOS has reported inaccurate WX. The VOR was OTS so the reporter was vectoring for a visual approach but did not have WX minimums for visual approach. Reporter stated he felt ASOS was inadequate for aviation WX.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASOS WX RPTING SYS RPTED INCORRECT WX.

Narrative: THIS EVENT HIGHLIGHTS THE 'STEP BACKWARDS' THE AVIATION COMMUNITY TOOK, AS AUTOMATED WX RPTING REPLACED THE HUMAN WX OBSERVER AT SO MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ELY, NV, WAS RPTING THE FOLLOWING AUTOMATED RPT: ELY XA53 SA AOZA 55 SCATTERED 10 PLUS MI VISIBILITY 110/40/23/1430/993 TNO ZRNO. ACR X WAS INBOUND TO ELY (VOR/DME OTS) FROM THE N ON WHAT IS NORMALLY V269 AT 20000 FT DSNDING TO 14000 FT. THE RADAR CTLR DIDN'T SUSPECT A PROB BECAUSE THE WX LOOKED FINE. ON RADAR VECTOR 140 DEGS OVER ELY ARPT, CTLR EXPECTED A CANCELLATION. CTLR WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN ACR X WAS STILL IMC AT 14000 FT. THE AUTOMATED WX FAILED TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY! WITH A 13000 FT MOUNTAIN (WHEELER PEAK) JUST S OF ELY, AND THE VOR BEING OTS, HAD THE SECTOR BEEN BUSY, THE CTLR MAY HAVE MISSED X FLYING RIGHT PAST ELY AND WITHIN 1000 FT OF A MOUNTAIN. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN, BUT I SUPPOSE 100 OTHER THINGS COULD HAVE HAPPENED, TOO. THE POINT IS THAT THE WX RPT FAILED. IT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE CTLR WITH THE INFO HE NEEDED TO DO HIS JOB! HAD A WX OBSERVER BEEN EMPLOYED TO MAKE AN OBSERVATION THE CTLR WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO HIS JOB THE WAY HE SHOULD DO IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE ASOS HAS RPTED INACCURATE WX. THE VOR WAS OTS SO THE RPTR WAS VECTORING FOR A VISUAL APCH BUT DID NOT HAVE WX MINIMUMS FOR VISUAL APCH. RPTR STATED HE FELT ASOS WAS INADEQUATE FOR AVIATION WX.

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.