FSS refused assistance in acquiring current WX information for EMS flight.

Attributes
ACN	98702
Time
Date	198811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	98702
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This was an EMS flight about am time and requested FSS to call destination airport xyz for current cloud cover since report was 45 mins old and WX had changed. The lady on 122.4 FSS radio would not make the call to xyz even when I said I was EMS flight. Because of weight and distance I needed this information about cloud cover since it was clear an hour ago, but was changing. Saw clouds over area and needed to know if that was the conditions of xyz before I got there! I need not expand on the lack of help caused many anxious moments of time trying to outguess the course of the storm. I finally reached xyz FSS and they were helpful. Their phone lines were open and they stated they would have no problem in giving current WX information as they have in the past to FSS. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states it is rare for EMS flts to be refused assistance. Has previously received the service he requested so he could not understand the refusal. Flight watch not available at that hour, so FSS was only source of WX information. He was concerned of very strong headwinds, clouds developing incredibly fast and possibility of fuel problems if he should have to continue for 20 or 30 mins, find XXX overcast, and then have to return to FSS. Reporter contacted FSDO and supervisor. Both indicated concern at lack of coordination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FSS REFUSED ASSISTANCE IN ACQUIRING CURRENT WX INFORMATION FOR EMS FLT.

Narrative: THIS WAS AN EMS FLT ABOUT AM TIME AND REQUESTED FSS TO CALL DEST ARPT XYZ FOR CURRENT CLOUD COVER SINCE RPT WAS 45 MINS OLD AND WX HAD CHANGED. THE LADY ON 122.4 FSS RADIO WOULD NOT MAKE THE CALL TO XYZ EVEN WHEN I SAID I WAS EMS FLT. BECAUSE OF WT AND DISTANCE I NEEDED THIS INFO ABOUT CLOUD COVER SINCE IT WAS CLEAR AN HR AGO, BUT WAS CHANGING. SAW CLOUDS OVER AREA AND NEEDED TO KNOW IF THAT WAS THE CONDITIONS OF XYZ BEFORE I GOT THERE! I NEED NOT EXPAND ON THE LACK OF HELP CAUSED MANY ANXIOUS MOMENTS OF TIME TRYING TO OUTGUESS THE COURSE OF THE STORM. I FINALLY REACHED XYZ FSS AND THEY WERE HELPFUL. THEIR PHONE LINES WERE OPEN AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD HAVE NO PROB IN GIVING CURRENT WX INFO AS THEY HAVE IN THE PAST TO FSS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES IT IS RARE FOR EMS FLTS TO BE REFUSED ASSISTANCE. HAS PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED THE SVC HE REQUESTED SO HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE REFUSAL. FLT WATCH NOT AVAILABLE AT THAT HOUR, SO FSS WAS ONLY SOURCE OF WX INFO. HE WAS CONCERNED OF VERY STRONG HEADWINDS, CLOUDS DEVELOPING INCREDIBLY FAST AND POSSIBILITY OF FUEL PROBS IF HE SHOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE FOR 20 OR 30 MINS, FIND XXX OVCST, AND THEN HAVE TO RETURN TO FSS. RPTR CONTACTED FSDO AND SUPVR. BOTH INDICATED CONCERN AT LACK OF COORD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.