ATCT local controller unable to get contract WX observers to change the ceiling ht after 5-6 PIREPS ...

Attributes
ACN	348216
Time
Date	199609
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gfk
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : student
Experience	controller military : 8 controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 8 flight time total : 30
ASRS Report	348216
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

During low ceiling, IFR WX, after 5 or 6 PIREPS confirming a 500-600 ft broken/overcast ceiling, our contract WX observer continued to ignore the PIREPS and report the clouds at 1000 ft overcast with 7 mi visibility. Repeated attempts at trying to clarify the situation resulted in a brick wall response. The supervisor then made a phone call to me in the tower and informed me not to send any more PIREPS because they're just 'pilot estimates' and their ability to 'eyeball' the ceiling was more accurate. Their ASOS was OTS and as it was daylight the ceilometer was unusable. The observer also refused to send up a balloon because of the 'high winds' (15 KTS). I wish I had the answer, but I do know ASOS isn't it! Experience with ASOS has taught not to rely on ASOS because of the narrow parameters of the 'beam.' perhaps a more in depth training program (more than just here -- read, study these books, take this test and here's your first paychk) for the new folks and better recurring training for the existing ones. (We're also having to educate the new and some of the experienced ones the difference between AGL and MSL.) thanks for your time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR UNABLE TO GET CONTRACT WX OBSERVERS TO CHANGE THE CEILING HT AFTER 5-6 PIREPS INDICATING THE CEILING WAS 400-500 FT LOWER THAN THE WX OBSERVERS WERE RPTING IT TO BE.

Narrative: DURING LOW CEILING, IFR WX, AFTER 5 OR 6 PIREPS CONFIRMING A 500-600 FT BROKEN/OVCST CEILING, OUR CONTRACT WX OBSERVER CONTINUED TO IGNORE THE PIREPS AND RPT THE CLOUDS AT 1000 FT OVCST WITH 7 MI VISIBILITY. REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT TRYING TO CLARIFY THE SIT RESULTED IN A BRICK WALL RESPONSE. THE SUPVR THEN MADE A PHONE CALL TO ME IN THE TWR AND INFORMED ME NOT TO SEND ANY MORE PIREPS BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST 'PLT ESTIMATES' AND THEIR ABILITY TO 'EYEBALL' THE CEILING WAS MORE ACCURATE. THEIR ASOS WAS OTS AND AS IT WAS DAYLIGHT THE CEILOMETER WAS UNUSABLE. THE OBSERVER ALSO REFUSED TO SEND UP A BALLOON BECAUSE OF THE 'HIGH WINDS' (15 KTS). I WISH I HAD THE ANSWER, BUT I DO KNOW ASOS ISN'T IT! EXPERIENCE WITH ASOS HAS TAUGHT NOT TO RELY ON ASOS BECAUSE OF THE NARROW PARAMETERS OF THE 'BEAM.' PERHAPS A MORE IN DEPTH TRAINING PROGRAM (MORE THAN JUST HERE -- READ, STUDY THESE BOOKS, TAKE THIS TEST AND HERE'S YOUR FIRST PAYCHK) FOR THE NEW FOLKS AND BETTER RECURRING TRAINING FOR THE EXISTING ONES. (WE'RE ALSO HAVING TO EDUCATE THE NEW AND SOME OF THE EXPERIENCED ONES THE DIFFERENCE BTWN AGL AND MSL.) THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

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.

ATCT local controller unable to get contract WX observers to change the ceiling ht after 5-6 PIREPS indicating the ceiling was 400-500 ft lower than the WX observers were reporting it to be.