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Approach controller complaint about ASOS WX report and what the air carrier pilots were actually encountering.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 348761 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bdl |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bdl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 348761 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
Working the arrival sector for bdl. Had an air carrier on downwind, WX reported at XA51Z by ASOS, 210003 KT 4 SM br clear 12/12 A3033, air carrier reported airport, but said unable visual due to clouds around airport about 3 mi. His quote 'the airport is the only clear spot in the state, there are clouds all around it.' an air carrier B727 about 5 mins later on 7 mi ILS runway 24 approach at 2500 ft reported between layers with occasional ground contact. At times when WX is marginal or worse ASOS seems incapable of providing accurate information, making controllers rely on PIREPS for decision making for sequence, type approach and other events leading to a appropriate sequence.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR COMPLAINT ABOUT ASOS WX RPT AND WHAT THE ACR PLTS WERE ACTUALLY ENCOUNTERING.
Narrative: WORKING THE ARR SECTOR FOR BDL. HAD AN ACR ON DOWNWIND, WX RPTED AT XA51Z BY ASOS, 210003 KT 4 SM BR CLR 12/12 A3033, ACR RPTED ARPT, BUT SAID UNABLE VISUAL DUE TO CLOUDS AROUND ARPT ABOUT 3 MI. HIS QUOTE 'THE ARPT IS THE ONLY CLR SPOT IN THE STATE, THERE ARE CLOUDS ALL AROUND IT.' AN ACR B727 ABOUT 5 MINS LATER ON 7 MI ILS RWY 24 APCH AT 2500 FT RPTED BTWN LAYERS WITH OCCASIONAL GND CONTACT. AT TIMES WHEN WX IS MARGINAL OR WORSE ASOS SEEMS INCAPABLE OF PROVIDING ACCURATE INFO, MAKING CTLRS RELY ON PIREPS FOR DECISION MAKING FOR SEQUENCE, TYPE APCH AND OTHER EVENTS LEADING TO A APPROPRIATE SEQUENCE.
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.