B737 flight crew has difficulty understanding the computer generated ATIS voice and misinterps the c...

Attributes
ACN	355024
Time
Date	199612
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : las
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
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9650 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	355024
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The computer generated voice on the ATIS broadcasts at las, abq, phx, and stl (to name a few) are very difficult to understand. The other day my first officer wrote down 4600 ft broken as he understood it broadcast. The WX was actually 4 to 6 hundred broken. We had not briefed the approach, as we were expecting VFR WX. Wind directions, along with the altitudes (height) of cloud base, are difficult to understand and therefore, a safety hazard. I suggest a discontinuation of the computer generated voice on ATIS until software changes bring about a more understandable voice. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that even foreign accents are easier to understand than this computer generated voice. It takes so long to try and comprehend the information given that one cannot monitor other aspects of the flight. In this incident the flight crew became very concerned when they reached the OM with airport in sight and they had not briefed the approach. The hotline was discussed and reporter indicated he would follow up with a call. Reporter indicated the 4 locations mentioned are from his experience but he has heard of others.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC HAS DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE COMPUTER GENERATED ATIS VOICE AND MISINTERPS THE CEILING AS 4600 FT INSTEAD OF 4 TO 6 HUNDRED FT. ATIS COMPUTER GENERATED VOICE UNREADABLE.

Narrative: THE COMPUTER GENERATED VOICE ON THE ATIS BROADCASTS AT LAS, ABQ, PHX, AND STL (TO NAME A FEW) ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. THE OTHER DAY MY FO WROTE DOWN 4600 FT BROKEN AS HE UNDERSTOOD IT BROADCAST. THE WX WAS ACTUALLY 4 TO 6 HUNDRED BROKEN. WE HAD NOT BRIEFED THE APCH, AS WE WERE EXPECTING VFR WX. WIND DIRECTIONS, ALONG WITH THE ALTS (HEIGHT) OF CLOUD BASE, ARE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND THEREFORE, A SAFETY HAZARD. I SUGGEST A DISCONTINUATION OF THE COMPUTER GENERATED VOICE ON ATIS UNTIL SOFTWARE CHANGES BRING ABOUT A MORE UNDERSTANDABLE VOICE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT EVEN FOREIGN ACCENTS ARE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN THIS COMPUTER GENERATED VOICE. IT TAKES SO LONG TO TRY AND COMPREHEND THE INFO GIVEN THAT ONE CANNOT MONITOR OTHER ASPECTS OF THE FLT. IN THIS INCIDENT THE FLC BECAME VERY CONCERNED WHEN THEY REACHED THE OM WITH ARPT IN SIGHT AND THEY HAD NOT BRIEFED THE APCH. THE HOTLINE WAS DISCUSSED AND RPTR INDICATED HE WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH A CALL. RPTR INDICATED THE 4 LOCATIONS MENTIONED ARE FROM HIS EXPERIENCE BUT HE HAS HEARD OF OTHERS.

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.

B737 flight crew has difficulty understanding the computer generated ATIS voice and misinterps the ceiling as 4600 ft instead of 4 to 6 hundred ft. ATIS computer generated voice unreadable.