Narrative:

I had diverted to my alternate, crescent city, because the WX was down at my destination (brookings). I was waiting for the WX to come up at brookings. After checking WX several times, it finally came up for a VFR flight into brookings. The WX at crescent city appeared clear except for a few clouds over the east side of the field. I departed VFR off of runway 17 with a right downwind departure. A gentleman on the field called me and informed me the field was still IFR 10 mi visibility 800 ft broken as reported by the AWOS. There was no conflict with other aircraft. By this time I was clear of control zone. I should have checked the AWOS even though it appeared to be VFR. Callback conversation with reporter and FSS revealed the following information: reporter states he spoke to the FBO operator who had called him after departure who indicated this happens all the time. Reporter himself spoke to two other pilots who had the same experience. Many pilots complain about the situation. Analyst contacted the local FSS who indicated that the AWOS is located about 50 yards northwest of the runway intersection, and there is a WX observer on the field between XX00 and XK00 who updates the AWOS. He also indicated that the FAA has documentation about the problems of the AWOS information in this area. Aircraft was C402 and this is a cargo operation which goes into cec only when brookings is down WX-wise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CARGO PLT DEPARTS CEC VFR WITH AWOS RPTING 800 FT AND 10 MI.

Narrative: I HAD DIVERTED TO MY ALTERNATE, CRESCENT CITY, BECAUSE THE WX WAS DOWN AT MY DEST (BROOKINGS). I WAS WAITING FOR THE WX TO COME UP AT BROOKINGS. AFTER CHKING WX SEVERAL TIMES, IT FINALLY CAME UP FOR A VFR FLT INTO BROOKINGS. THE WX AT CRESCENT CITY APPEARED CLR EXCEPT FOR A FEW CLOUDS OVER THE E SIDE OF THE FIELD. I DEPARTED VFR OFF OF RWY 17 WITH A R DOWNWIND DEP. A GENTLEMAN ON THE FIELD CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THE FIELD WAS STILL IFR 10 MI VISIBILITY 800 FT BROKEN AS RPTED BY THE AWOS. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. BY THIS TIME I WAS CLR OF CTL ZONE. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED THE AWOS EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARED TO BE VFR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR AND FSS REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE SPOKE TO THE FBO OPERATOR WHO HAD CALLED HIM AFTER DEP WHO INDICATED THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. RPTR HIMSELF SPOKE TO TWO OTHER PLTS WHO HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. MANY PLTS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SIT. ANALYST CONTACTED THE LCL FSS WHO INDICATED THAT THE AWOS IS LOCATED ABOUT 50 YARDS NW OF THE RWY INTXN, AND THERE IS A WX OBSERVER ON THE FIELD BTWN XX00 AND XK00 WHO UPDATES THE AWOS. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE FAA HAS DOCUMENTATION ABOUT THE PROBS OF THE AWOS INFO IN THIS AREA. ACFT WAS C402 AND THIS IS A CARGO OP WHICH GOES INTO CEC ONLY WHEN BROOKINGS IS DOWN WX-WISE.

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.