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Pilot advises tower-reported surface winds are inaccurate because the anemometer is located behind a berm.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 813164 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ifp.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1500 agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ifp.tower artcc : atl.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : vfr |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 813164 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport Weather |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
The wind sensor in ifp is located such that a berm may be inhibiting correct readings. Last sunday the tower reported the wind as calm and we opted to land south as the latest weather report we received from dispatch called the wind to be 240/3. Passing the marina at about 1500 ft the wind was out of the north at 20 KTS; and even at 700 ft showed the wind at 17 KTS. The tower reported the official wind to be calm. After landing we noticed that all 3 wind socks on the west side of the airport showed the wind out of the north; as well as the us flag by the terminal. We asked the tower if they were aware of the discrepancy and they acknowledged the problem and said they had tried to do something about it. Move the official wind sensor to the west side of runway.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT ADVISES TOWER-RPTED SURFACE WINDS ARE INACCURATE BECAUSE THE ANEMOMETER IS LOCATED BEHIND A BERM.
Narrative: THE WIND SENSOR IN IFP IS LOCATED SUCH THAT A BERM MAY BE INHIBITING CORRECT READINGS. LAST SUNDAY THE TOWER RPTED THE WIND AS CALM AND WE OPTED TO LAND S AS THE LATEST WEATHER RPT WE RECEIVED FROM DISPATCH CALLED THE WIND TO BE 240/3. PASSING THE MARINA AT ABOUT 1500 FT THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE N AT 20 KTS; AND EVEN AT 700 FT SHOWED THE WIND AT 17 KTS. THE TOWER RPTED THE OFFICIAL WIND TO BE CALM. AFTER LNDG WE NOTICED THAT ALL 3 WIND SOCKS ON THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT SHOWED THE WIND OUT OF THE N; AS WELL AS THE US FLAG BY THE TERMINAL. WE ASKED THE TOWER IF THEY WERE AWARE OF THE DISCREPANCY AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND SAID THEY HAD TRIED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. MOVE THE OFFICIAL WIND SENSOR TO THE W SIDE OF RWY.
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.