Small transport cargo aircraft arriving at airport with AWOS visibility reported as one quarter mi v...

Attributes
ACN	363451
Time
Date	199703
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fca
State Reference	MT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	363451
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ZLC cleared us to 8000 ft and hold at smith lake NDB due to a reported 1/4 mi visibility at fca by AWOS. At 9000 ft we broke out in the clear, the entire valley was VFR. All of the lights were visible at fca (white, green, blue, red). PIC told center that we had airport in sight, would like to cancel IFR to VFR, to go take a look and to standby in case we needed to file IFR to another location. When reaching approach end of runway 2 there was a very light fog, approximately 20 ft high. At no time did I ever lose contact of the runway pavement, lights, numbers, centerline, etc. A landing could have been made. PIC overflew runway at approximately 1/2 the length, there was no fog. PIC circled back and landed on runway 20 in the clear. PIC reported to center that AWOS was in error and reported the conditions at fca. I believe that this situation will always occur when there is a machine versus man. With AWOS being in error in the past this type of occurrence will happen. I feel that since pilots are trained WX observers and when there are 2 pilots to confirm that AWOS is in error, the PIC should have the last say.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CARGO ACFT ARRIVING AT ARPT WITH AWOS VISIBILITY RPTED AS ONE QUARTER MI VISIBILITY. FLC STATES THE ARPT WAS VFR, MADE AN APCH, BUT ENCOUNTERED FOG AT 20 FT, CONTINUED APCH FOR CIRCLING TO ANOTHER RWY FOR LNDG.

Narrative: ZLC CLRED US TO 8000 FT AND HOLD AT SMITH LAKE NDB DUE TO A RPTED 1/4 MI VISIBILITY AT FCA BY AWOS. AT 9000 FT WE BROKE OUT IN THE CLR, THE ENTIRE VALLEY WAS VFR. ALL OF THE LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE AT FCA (WHITE, GREEN, BLUE, RED). PIC TOLD CTR THAT WE HAD ARPT IN SIGHT, WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL IFR TO VFR, TO GO TAKE A LOOK AND TO STANDBY IN CASE WE NEEDED TO FILE IFR TO ANOTHER LOCATION. WHEN REACHING APCH END OF RWY 2 THERE WAS A VERY LIGHT FOG, APPROX 20 FT HIGH. AT NO TIME DID I EVER LOSE CONTACT OF THE RWY PAVEMENT, LIGHTS, NUMBERS, CTRLINE, ETC. A LNDG COULD HAVE BEEN MADE. PIC OVERFLEW RWY AT APPROX 1/2 THE LENGTH, THERE WAS NO FOG. PIC CIRCLED BACK AND LANDED ON RWY 20 IN THE CLR. PIC RPTED TO CTR THAT AWOS WAS IN ERROR AND RPTED THE CONDITIONS AT FCA. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SIT WILL ALWAYS OCCUR WHEN THERE IS A MACHINE VERSUS MAN. WITH AWOS BEING IN ERROR IN THE PAST THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE WILL HAPPEN. I FEEL THAT SINCE PLTS ARE TRAINED WX OBSERVERS AND WHEN THERE ARE 2 PLTS TO CONFIRM THAT AWOS IS IN ERROR, THE PIC SHOULD HAVE THE LAST SAY.

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.

Small transport cargo aircraft arriving at airport with AWOS visibility reported as one quarter mi visibility. Flight crew states the airport was VFR, made an approach, but encountered fog at 20 ft, continued approach for circling to another runway for landing.