Close...... but no violation...cross post from AOPA.

Tom-D

Tom-D

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Tom-D
One clear and frosty morning last week I launched out of OKH, after being airborne I asked Whidbey Approach for flight following. After a moment they gave me a squak code and I was on my way. nothing more was said until I got the usual "squak 1200 have a nice day".

Two days later the FAA calls and started questioning me about flying IFR with out a Flight plan on file. Not knowing what the inspector was talking about I asked what this was all about, He informed me that I had been reported by Approach that the weather was below minimum when I took off OKH. (gave time and date)

After a few more questions I discover that the weather that approach was using was from the AWOS at OKH, which I informed him, was reporting wrong information, and there had been a repair order placed on it 2 weeks ago.

the inspector said he would check it out and call me back if he needed any more info, I sweat for 2 days and call him to see what is happening.

He states YES the AWOS was broken and the reporting agency had no bases to make the report.

Lesson learned, If you are operating out of a non towered airport with an AWOS automatic wearther reporting station, be sure it is reporting the correct information, or you have documentation that it has been reported on a repair order..

This was a close one for me, don't allow it to happen to you
 
NC19143 said:
One clear and frosty morning last week I launched out of OKH, after being airborne I asked Whidbey Approach for flight following. After a moment they gave me a squak code and I was on my way. nothing more was said until I got the usual "squak 1200 have a nice day".

Two days later the FAA calls and started questioning me about flying IFR with out a Flight plan on file. Not knowing what the inspector was talking about I asked what this was all about, He informed me that I had been reported by Approach that the weather was below minimum when I took off OKH. (gave time and date)

After a few more questions I discover that the weather that approach was using was from the AWOS at OKH, which I informed him, was reporting wrong information, and there had been a repair order placed on it 2 weeks ago.

the inspector said he would check it out and call me back if he needed any more info, I sweat for 2 days and call him to see what is happening.

He states YES the AWOS was broken and the reporting agency had no bases to make the report.

Lesson learned, If you are operating out of a non towered airport with an AWOS automatic wearther reporting station, be sure it is reporting the correct information, or you have documentation that it has been reported on a repair order..

This was a close one for me, don't allow it to happen to you
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One more reason why the FAA operates less on common sense and more on gotcha juice.

Seems to me, if I can see that its clear and a million, but the AWOS/ASOS is reporting IFR conditions, I should be able to takeoff.
 
SkyHog said:
One more reason why the FAA operates less on common sense and more on gotcha juice.

Seems to me, if I can see that its clear and a million, but the AWOS/ASOS is reporting IFR conditions, I should be able to takeoff.
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Actually he was pretty nice about it, he had a complant, he checked it out, gotthe facts, and dismissed it.
 
NC19143 said:
Check the AWOS, before you launch, and report it if it is wrong.
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Absolutely. Pull out your cell phone, call FSS, and report it. Then it's on the record (on tape even if they don't actually file a NOTAM). That probably won't fly if the AWOS is reporting 900-2 and you say it's really 1000-3, and all stations around are reporting IMC weather, but if it's CAVU and the system is showing OVC003, and the satellite photo shows clear for 50 miles around, you should be fine.
 
NC19143 said:
One clear and frosty morning last week I launched out of OKH, after being airborne I asked Whidbey Approach for flight following. After a moment they gave me a squak code and I was on my way. nothing more was said until I got the usual "squak 1200 have a nice day".

Two days later the FAA calls and started questioning me about flying IFR with out a Flight plan on file. Not knowing what the inspector was talking about I asked what this was all about, He informed me that I had been reported by Approach that the weather was below minimum when I took off OKH. (gave time and date)

After a few more questions I discover that the weather that approach was using was from the AWOS at OKH, which I informed him, was reporting wrong information, and there had been a repair order placed on it 2 weeks ago.
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Did they say what the OKH AWOS was reporting at the time of your flight?
 
NC19143 said:
Check the AWOS, before you launch, and report it if it is wrong.
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The thing is, there's little or no incentive to listen to the ASOS when it's obviously CAVU. I don't recall every being told that picking up the ASOS was mandatory. What if you don't have a radio?

Edit: I suppose if you're NORDO there's not much chance you'll be talking to ATC.

BTW, this sounds like an example of the kind of ATC police action we've been warned about. Are they really going to start submitting violations for this kind of small stuff?
 
lancefisher said:
BTW, this sounds like an example of the kind of ATC police action we've been warned about. Are they really going to start submitting violations for this kind of small stuff?
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Tom didn't get a violation and it seems the FAA reacted reasonably. Just because something is reported and investigated doesn't mean it always ends in a violation. In fact I think more often it doesn't.
 
Everskyward said:
Tom didn't get a violation and it seems the FAA reacted reasonably. Just because something is reported and investigated doesn't mean it always ends in a violation. In fact I think more often it doesn't.
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I agree, but in the past would a controller even bother to submit anything to the FSDO when a pilot asked for advisories after departing from an airport where the ASOS was reporting IMC?

And JOOC what was the AWOS reporting? What were the METARs around the area?
 
There is more to this story...

Tom..tell them the ****ing contest portion...
 
Kelvin said:
There is more to this story...

Tom..tell them the ****ing contest portion...
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I think that is best left alone. we don't need to feed the fire.
 
lancefisher said:
I agree, but in the past would a controller even bother to submit anything to the FSDO when a pilot asked for advisories after departing from an airport where the ASOS was reporting IMC?

And JOOC what was the AWOS reporting? What were the METARs around the area?
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The point is, the AWOS was wrong. but it is over.
 
I agree, it seems odd that they would bother with that.

Yesterday I flew to Kentucky, and when approaching our potential fuel stop (2/3 of the way) we got a weather update from flight service, who reported IFR conditions for the remaining 1/3 of the flight. Given that I don't fully know how the Aztec burns fuel (not having enough experience in it), we took the conservative route, got fuel, and filed an IFR flight plan...

At which point I found the thing was burning less fuel than I thought (so we had plenty of fuel remaining to get to our destination, and even an alternate), and the remaining 1/3 of the trip was in VMC the whole way.

Way better than the reverse.
 
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The time it took to report you, ATC could have asked for a PIREP....from you or anyone in the area. Also if they thought you were in less than VFR...maybe query the pilot and offer IFR assistance instead of letting you continue on your way squawking VFR. Doing nothing about the situation and then reporting it did nothing for promoting safe skys.
 
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Airspace above OKH is in class G <700, then class E <1300 then class C, no?

I am just thinking about this situation in contrast to the other thread about the broken ASOS in a class E surface area.
 
alaskaflyer said:
Airspace above OKH is in class G <700, then class E <1300 then class C, no?

I am just thinking about this situation in contrast to the other thread about the broken ASOS in a class E surface area.
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Airspace at OKH is Class G from the surface to 700 AGL, then Class E to the base of the Class C ring which begins at 1300 MSL.
 
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