Narrative:

On check-in with clt approach we indicated we had ATIS. ATIS gave lowest clouds at 1500 ft scattered. Approach gave us updated ATIS. Shortly after -- lowest clouds were still 1500 ft scattered. We broke out at 200 ft AGL (ILS CAT 1 minimums). We informed tower of 'field at minimums' when we were sent to ground control. Local acknowledged. When we reached the gate some 6 mins later the ATIS had not been changed. We then called ground and told him our 200 ft AGL ceiling PIREP. He indicated that he could not change the ceiling -- it had to come from NWS. I then asked him to call NWS. He said he would. Approximately 10 mins later updated information came on air -- lowest clouds now 1500 ft overcast. I then called my dispatcher who hooked me up with operational duty manager. After we taxied at XX55, the ATIS finally reflected a 300 ft AGL ceiling which was accurate. I question if the information I gave the local controller got passed on to NWS. I also believe my PIREP to ground 7 mins later would not have been passed to NWS without my specific request to the ground controller. I find it totally unacceptable that 10 mins after NWS was notified of a 260 ft ceiling this data was not accepted and at least reported as a remark in the sequence. We count on accurate WX reporting as a cornerstone of our safety. Where the problem was between ATC and NWS I do not know. The net result in failing to get the correct information to us and all the other clt arrs was an incompetent and an uncaring act. In view of clt ATC/NWS having been found at fault in the company's oct/xx/96 accident for failure to pass on safety critical information about WX, the current failure and attitude is even more unacceptable. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that alpa has done follow up on this incident. Reporter is safety officer for his company and took the incident to alpa directly. There has been lots of talk but not much action, only a lot of finger pointing. This is a contract WX service soon to go to ASOS. Reporter says at least ASOS will up date when there is a change. Reporter faults local controller for not asking the next aircraft about the ceiling and/or not passing along the PIREP his aircraft had given. He did state that the WX was not so extreme in all areas of the airport but it definitely was low at the approach end of the runway. Reporter spent 8 days on the accident investigation of a previous accident and he would like to avoid any repeat accidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLC IS GIVEN ERRONEOUS WX INFO AND ATC FAILS TO UPDATE INFO WHEN PIREP GIVEN POOR WX INFO ON ATIS.

Narrative: ON CHK-IN WITH CLT APCH WE INDICATED WE HAD ATIS. ATIS GAVE LOWEST CLOUDS AT 1500 FT SCATTERED. APCH GAVE US UPDATED ATIS. SHORTLY AFTER -- LOWEST CLOUDS WERE STILL 1500 FT SCATTERED. WE BROKE OUT AT 200 FT AGL (ILS CAT 1 MINIMUMS). WE INFORMED TWR OF 'FIELD AT MINIMUMS' WHEN WE WERE SENT TO GND CTL. LCL ACKNOWLEDGED. WHEN WE REACHED THE GATE SOME 6 MINS LATER THE ATIS HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED. WE THEN CALLED GND AND TOLD HIM OUR 200 FT AGL CEILING PIREP. HE INDICATED THAT HE COULD NOT CHANGE THE CEILING -- IT HAD TO COME FROM NWS. I THEN ASKED HIM TO CALL NWS. HE SAID HE WOULD. APPROX 10 MINS LATER UPDATED INFO CAME ON AIR -- LOWEST CLOUDS NOW 1500 FT OVCST. I THEN CALLED MY DISPATCHER WHO HOOKED ME UP WITH OPERATIONAL DUTY MGR. AFTER WE TAXIED AT XX55, THE ATIS FINALLY REFLECTED A 300 FT AGL CEILING WHICH WAS ACCURATE. I QUESTION IF THE INFO I GAVE THE LCL CTLR GOT PASSED ON TO NWS. I ALSO BELIEVE MY PIREP TO GND 7 MINS LATER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PASSED TO NWS WITHOUT MY SPECIFIC REQUEST TO THE GND CTLR. I FIND IT TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE THAT 10 MINS AFTER NWS WAS NOTIFIED OF A 260 FT CEILING THIS DATA WAS NOT ACCEPTED AND AT LEAST RPTED AS A REMARK IN THE SEQUENCE. WE COUNT ON ACCURATE WX RPTING AS A CORNERSTONE OF OUR SAFETY. WHERE THE PROB WAS BTWN ATC AND NWS I DO NOT KNOW. THE NET RESULT IN FAILING TO GET THE CORRECT INFO TO US AND ALL THE OTHER CLT ARRS WAS AN INCOMPETENT AND AN UNCARING ACT. IN VIEW OF CLT ATC/NWS HAVING BEEN FOUND AT FAULT IN THE COMPANY'S OCT/XX/96 ACCIDENT FOR FAILURE TO PASS ON SAFETY CRITICAL INFO ABOUT WX, THE CURRENT FAILURE AND ATTITUDE IS EVEN MORE UNACCEPTABLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT ALPA HAS DONE FOLLOW UP ON THIS INCIDENT. RPTR IS SAFETY OFFICER FOR HIS COMPANY AND TOOK THE INCIDENT TO ALPA DIRECTLY. THERE HAS BEEN LOTS OF TALK BUT NOT MUCH ACTION, ONLY A LOT OF FINGER POINTING. THIS IS A CONTRACT WX SVC SOON TO GO TO ASOS. RPTR SAYS AT LEAST ASOS WILL UP DATE WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE. RPTR FAULTS LCL CTLR FOR NOT ASKING THE NEXT ACFT ABOUT THE CEILING AND/OR NOT PASSING ALONG THE PIREP HIS ACFT HAD GIVEN. HE DID STATE THAT THE WX WAS NOT SO EXTREME IN ALL AREAS OF THE ARPT BUT IT DEFINITELY WAS LOW AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. RPTR SPENT 8 DAYS ON THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT AND HE WOULD LIKE TO AVOID ANY REPEAT ACCIDENTS.

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.