Narrative:

At XC00Z, cle was still broadcasting ATIS from XA54Z, which stated visibility of 4 SM and ceiling of 700 ft broken, light rain and mist, temperature -4 degrees C, dew point -5 degrees C, winds 030 degrees at 14 KTS. Actual conditions at the field were significantly worse than broadcast on the ATIS, which was more than 1 hour old. Captain and I were simultaneously talking to deicers, station operations, and company dispatch. We had begun deicing at XB58 local, anticipating new ATIS at XC00 local. Wet snow was falling and sticking to the aircraft. Visibility was barely enough to see runway 5/23L&right from the gate. After calling for clearance, I contacted the ground controller to inform him that the ATIS was not current and to request current conditions. He replied 'ATIS is current.' I asked if there was any way that he could give me current conditions, rather than referring me to an ATIS that was over 1 hour old, and he told me to call FSS. After calling FSS, I tuned in cle ATIS to hear that another ATIS was 'current,' although every single word on the tape was exactly the same (including the time XA54Z) as the old ATIS. Meanwhile, FSS had reported 1 1/4 SM visibility, 900 ft overcast, variable from 600-1300 ft, light snow, ice pellets, mist, and temperature and dew points both -4 degrees C, winds 030 degrees at 17 KTS, and a new altimeter setting. The purpose of my call to ground was to calculate deice holdover times. The ramp and frequency were both empty at an early hour local time. Had the tower cut a new accurate ATIS, or responded to our request with a good faith effort to help, they could have aided us greatly in a very busy cockpit and contributed something to aviation safety, rather than detracting from it!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN THE LATEST WX INFO FROM THE GND CTLR IN ORDER TO COMPUTE THEIR DEICE HOLDOVER TIME, BUT WERE FINALLY REQUIRED TO CALL THE FSS SINCE THE ATIS WAS OBVIOUSLY INCORRECT AND THE TWR CTLRS COULD NOT ASSIST THEM.

Narrative: AT XC00Z, CLE WAS STILL BROADCASTING ATIS FROM XA54Z, WHICH STATED VISIBILITY OF 4 SM AND CEILING OF 700 FT BROKEN, LIGHT RAIN AND MIST, TEMP -4 DEGS C, DEW POINT -5 DEGS C, WINDS 030 DEGS AT 14 KTS. ACTUAL CONDITIONS AT THE FIELD WERE SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN BROADCAST ON THE ATIS, WHICH WAS MORE THAN 1 HR OLD. CAPT AND I WERE SIMULTANEOUSLY TALKING TO DEICERS, STATION OPS, AND COMPANY DISPATCH. WE HAD BEGUN DEICING AT XB58 LCL, ANTICIPATING NEW ATIS AT XC00 LCL. WET SNOW WAS FALLING AND STICKING TO THE ACFT. VISIBILITY WAS BARELY ENOUGH TO SEE RWY 5/23L&R FROM THE GATE. AFTER CALLING FOR CLRNC, I CONTACTED THE GND CTLR TO INFORM HIM THAT THE ATIS WAS NOT CURRENT AND TO REQUEST CURRENT CONDITIONS. HE REPLIED 'ATIS IS CURRENT.' I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT HE COULD GIVE ME CURRENT CONDITIONS, RATHER THAN REFERRING ME TO AN ATIS THAT WAS OVER 1 HR OLD, AND HE TOLD ME TO CALL FSS. AFTER CALLING FSS, I TUNED IN CLE ATIS TO HEAR THAT ANOTHER ATIS WAS 'CURRENT,' ALTHOUGH EVERY SINGLE WORD ON THE TAPE WAS EXACTLY THE SAME (INCLUDING THE TIME XA54Z) AS THE OLD ATIS. MEANWHILE, FSS HAD RPTED 1 1/4 SM VISIBILITY, 900 FT OVCST, VARIABLE FROM 600-1300 FT, LIGHT SNOW, ICE PELLETS, MIST, AND TEMP AND DEW POINTS BOTH -4 DEGS C, WINDS 030 DEGS AT 17 KTS, AND A NEW ALTIMETER SETTING. THE PURPOSE OF MY CALL TO GND WAS TO CALCULATE DEICE HOLDOVER TIMES. THE RAMP AND FREQ WERE BOTH EMPTY AT AN EARLY HR LCL TIME. HAD THE TWR CUT A NEW ACCURATE ATIS, OR RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST WITH A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO HELP, THEY COULD HAVE AIDED US GREATLY IN A VERY BUSY COCKPIT AND CONTRIBUTED SOMETHING TO AVIATION SAFETY, RATHER THAN DETRACTING FROM IT!

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.