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Small transport overflew mso because the ASOS reported the visibility as three quarters of a mi. Reporter states that the WX was, in fact, VFR. He complains that bad WX reporting in mountainous terrain is a real problem.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 357083 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199612 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mso |
| State Reference | MT |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zlc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 357083 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Airport | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
Safety problems concerning WX reporting of the ASOS. Filed IFR flight plan. Checked WX. ASOS reported WX below IFR landing minimums, so I flew to my alternate airport. En route, flew over missoula, it was good VFR. The ASOS was still calling it three fourth mi visibility. The ASOS is not reliable but the tower should be able to tell IFR from VFR. But as a matter of urgency, I had the gif FSS call the tower in missoula to ask about the tower visibility. The tower reported the exact WX that was on the ASOS. This is a real problem -- bad WX reporting in mountainous terrain. Tower made no effort.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT OVERFLEW MSO BECAUSE THE ASOS RPTED THE VISIBILITY AS THREE QUARTERS OF A MI. RPTR STATES THAT THE WX WAS, IN FACT, VFR. HE COMPLAINS THAT BAD WX RPTING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IS A REAL PROB.
Narrative: SAFETY PROBS CONCERNING WX RPTING OF THE ASOS. FILED IFR FLT PLAN. CHKED WX. ASOS RPTED WX BELOW IFR LNDG MINIMUMS, SO I FLEW TO MY ALTERNATE ARPT. ENRTE, FLEW OVER MISSOULA, IT WAS GOOD VFR. THE ASOS WAS STILL CALLING IT THREE FOURTH MI VISIBILITY. THE ASOS IS NOT RELIABLE BUT THE TWR SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL IFR FROM VFR. BUT AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, I HAD THE GIF FSS CALL THE TWR IN MISSOULA TO ASK ABOUT THE TWR VISIBILITY. THE TWR RPTED THE EXACT WX THAT WAS ON THE ASOS. THIS IS A REAL PROB -- BAD WX RPTING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. TWR MADE NO EFFORT.
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.