Narrative:

Aircraft X inbound to lgc reported that the lgc AWOS 3 was reporting sky conditions as 'clear' (clear below 12000 ft), but he could see a low overcast over the entire area as he descended. A departing aircraft Y reported the ceiling as 300 ft overcast (AGL). The AWOS 3 at this airport is not federally owned/maintained. It is notoriously inaccurate at reporting ceiling and visibility. Locally based pilots expect it to be wrong and say they have reported it regularly to the airport management, with no improvement. This airport is uncontrolled with nobody to augment or validate the AWOS 3. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter did not respond to analyst's calls. Analyst called csg approach control. Facility specialist advised of weekly reports from pilots that lgc AWOS was not transmitting correct field conditions. Specialist stated that ceiling and visibility were components most reported incorrect. Specialist advised that airport depended on civil vendor for maintenance and repair. Analyst called atl-smo. Atl-smo has recently idented a specialist to track and evaluate non federal AWOS installations. The specialist stated that lgc airport's AWOS is an 'arthsis' model, installed and maintained by an arthsis technician. The specialist advised that he had planned to examine the lgc AWOS site within the next 45 days. He advised that he was aware of pilot complaints about the AWOS site performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CSG TRACON APCH CTLR RECEIVES PLT RPTS CONTRADICTING THE LGC AWOS. CTLR STATES LGC AWOS IS 'NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE.'

Narrative: ACFT X INBOUND TO LGC RPTED THAT THE LGC AWOS 3 WAS RPTING SKY CONDITIONS AS 'CLR' (CLR BELOW 12000 FT), BUT HE COULD SEE A LOW OVCST OVER THE ENTIRE AREA AS HE DSNDED. A DEPARTING ACFT Y RPTED THE CEILING AS 300 FT OVCST (AGL). THE AWOS 3 AT THIS ARPT IS NOT FEDERALLY OWNED/MAINTAINED. IT IS NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE AT RPTING CEILING AND VISIBILITY. LOCALLY BASED PLTS EXPECT IT TO BE WRONG AND SAY THEY HAVE RPTED IT REGULARLY TO THE ARPT MGMNT, WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THIS ARPT IS UNCTLED WITH NOBODY TO AUGMENT OR VALIDATE THE AWOS 3. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR DID NOT RESPOND TO ANALYST'S CALLS. ANALYST CALLED CSG APCH CTL. FACILITY SPECIALIST ADVISED OF WKLY RPTS FROM PLTS THAT LGC AWOS WAS NOT XMITTING CORRECT FIELD CONDITIONS. SPECIALIST STATED THAT CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE COMPONENTS MOST RPTED INCORRECT. SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT ARPT DEPENDED ON CIVIL VENDOR FOR MAINT AND REPAIR. ANALYST CALLED ATL-SMO. ATL-SMO HAS RECENTLY IDENTED A SPECIALIST TO TRACK AND EVALUATE NON FEDERAL AWOS INSTALLATIONS. THE SPECIALIST STATED THAT LGC ARPT'S AWOS IS AN 'ARTHSIS' MODEL, INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED BY AN ARTHSIS TECHNICIAN. THE SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT HE HAD PLANNED TO EXAMINE THE LGC AWOS SITE WITHIN THE NEXT 45 DAYS. HE ADVISED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF PLT COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AWOS SITE PERFORMANCE.

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.