Narrative:

Faao 3120.4 requirement full performance level (fpl) controllers to receive skill checks on position. Operational supervisor assumes watch of ATCT; briefed traffic volume light approximately 20 operations per hour; due to wind conditions in excess of 40 KTS which had been and were forecast to continue to gale throughout the period of facility operation; LLWS advisories in effect and posted on ATIS; PIREPS; actively being solicited and relayed to arriving/departing traffic. Reports being on the general nature +5 to 15 / -5 to -15 KTS wind speed change on final approach to runway 29. Operational supervisor directs full performance level ATC specialist (mr X) to relieve the local control ATC specialist and assume local control responsibilities. During the performance of local control; mr X attempts to relay PIREP to flight data for relay to automated FSS; operational supervisor then relays PIREP to automated FSS; next arrival GLF5 reports PIREP information +15/-15 KTS LLWS fap runway 29; local control announces PIREP information verbally to all hands present; operational supervisor acknowledges information and is seen to be writing; local control ATC specialist mr X returns to local control function without further thought. Several mins; operational supervisor relieves mr X from local control and turns watch over to another fpl ATC specialist. ATC specialist mr X is informed of fpl skill check has taken place; and then instructed to attend a meeting in manager's quarters where contents of skill check are revealed. ATC specialist mr X is surprised to learn that PIREP is part of content of check and informed by operational supervisor that PIREP was never relayed to automated FSS and that this was ATC specialist mr X's responsibility to undertake. ATC specialist acknowledged report and signed form and exited meeting. Upon further consideration; ATC specialist mr X knows that the obligation to report the information was accomplished by verbalizing the revenant data; and that the operational supervisor was aware of the information. That faao 7210.6 facility operation chapter 2 requires that supervisory personnel are responsible for the overall operation of the facility and if the operational supervisor did not instruct flight director to relay the information that it must have been determined not to be relevant to the operation. ATC specialists who are not in charge cannot be expected to ensure operational controller perform required functions. The fact that the performance report contained the PIREP data indicates that it was significant enough to be a performance issue then it should have also been relayed which the operational supervisor failed to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR; RECEIVING SKILL CHK; ANNOUNCED PIREP TO TWR PERSONNEL ASSUMING SUPVR WOULD FORWARD TO FSS; CTLR WAS NEGATIVELY CRITIQUED.

Narrative: FAAO 3120.4 REQUIREMENT FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CTLRS TO RECEIVE SKILL CHKS ON POS. OPERATIONAL SUPVR ASSUMES WATCH OF ATCT; BRIEFED TFC VOLUME LIGHT APPROX 20 OPS PER HR; DUE TO WIND CONDITIONS IN EXCESS OF 40 KTS WHICH HAD BEEN AND WERE FORECAST TO CONTINUE TO GALE THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF FACILITY OP; LLWS ADVISORIES IN EFFECT AND POSTED ON ATIS; PIREPS; ACTIVELY BEING SOLICITED AND RELAYED TO ARRIVING/DEPARTING TFC. RPTS BEING ON THE GENERAL NATURE +5 TO 15 / -5 TO -15 KTS WIND SPD CHANGE ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 29. OPERATIONAL SUPVR DIRECTS FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL ATC SPECIALIST (MR X) TO RELIEVE THE LCL CTL ATC SPECIALIST AND ASSUME LCL CTL RESPONSIBILITIES. DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF LCL CTL; MR X ATTEMPTS TO RELAY PIREP TO FLT DATA FOR RELAY TO AUTOMATED FSS; OPERATIONAL SUPVR THEN RELAYS PIREP TO AUTOMATED FSS; NEXT ARR GLF5 RPTS PIREP INFO +15/-15 KTS LLWS FAP RWY 29; LCL CTL ANNOUNCES PIREP INFO VERBALLY TO ALL HANDS PRESENT; OPERATIONAL SUPVR ACKNOWLEDGES INFO AND IS SEEN TO BE WRITING; LCL CTL ATC SPECIALIST MR X RETURNS TO LCL CTL FUNCTION WITHOUT FURTHER THOUGHT. SEVERAL MINS; OPERATIONAL SUPVR RELIEVES MR X FROM LCL CTL AND TURNS WATCH OVER TO ANOTHER FPL ATC SPECIALIST. ATC SPECIALIST MR X IS INFORMED OF FPL SKILL CHK HAS TAKEN PLACE; AND THEN INSTRUCTED TO ATTEND A MEETING IN MGR'S QUARTERS WHERE CONTENTS OF SKILL CHK ARE REVEALED. ATC SPECIALIST MR X IS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT PIREP IS PART OF CONTENT OF CHK AND INFORMED BY OPERATIONAL SUPVR THAT PIREP WAS NEVER RELAYED TO AUTOMATED FSS AND THAT THIS WAS ATC SPECIALIST MR X'S RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERTAKE. ATC SPECIALIST ACKNOWLEDGED RPT AND SIGNED FORM AND EXITED MEETING. UPON FURTHER CONSIDERATION; ATC SPECIALIST MR X KNOWS THAT THE OBLIGATION TO RPT THE INFO WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY VERBALIZING THE REVENANT DATA; AND THAT THE OPERATIONAL SUPVR WAS AWARE OF THE INFO. THAT FAAO 7210.6 FACILITY OP CHAPTER 2 REQUIRES THAT SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL OP OF THE FACILITY AND IF THE OPERATIONAL SUPVR DID NOT INSTRUCT FLT DIRECTOR TO RELAY THE INFO THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN DETERMINED NOT TO BE RELEVANT TO THE OP. ATC SPECIALISTS WHO ARE NOT IN CHARGE CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO ENSURE OPERATIONAL CTLR PERFORM REQUIRED FUNCTIONS. THE FACT THAT THE PERFORMANCE RPT CONTAINED THE PIREP DATA INDICATES THAT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO BE A PERFORMANCE ISSUE THEN IT SHOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN RELAYED WHICH THE OPERATIONAL SUPVR FAILED TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.