2008-08 · NASA ASRS report 799324
M20 PLT CONTINUES FLT INTO DETERIORATING VFR BASED ON AWOS AT DESTINATION ARPT. SNEAKS UNDER LOW CLOUDS TO A SAFE LANDING. AWOS STILL ADVISING THE SKIES AS CLEAR.
I WAS FLYING VFR AT 10500 FT WITH SCATTERED CLOUDS BENEATH. AHEAD; VISIBILITY SEEMED TO BE DROPPING SO I DECIDED TO MAKE A LNDG. I WAS ABOUT 10 MI NW OF LIBERAL; KS; ARPT AND I HAD IT IN SIGHT. WHEN I PASSED BY; HOWEVER; I CHKED THE AWOS AT LAMAR; CO; AND IT WAS RPTING 8 MI VISIBILITY AND SKY CLR; SO I DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO LAMAR AND BEGAN A DSCNT TO LAMAR. I NOTICED THE VISIBILITY DROPPING SOMEWHAT BUT ASSUMED IT WAS JUST A TEMPORARY THING SINCE LAA WAS CLR. ANYWAY; I CONTINUED A RELATIVELY SLOW DSCNT AND ABOUT 6 MI SE OF LAMAR; I HAD TO BEGIN MANEUVERING TO STAY CLR OF THE CLOUDS. I CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO PATTERN ALT AND DIDN'T SEE THE ARPT UNTIL I WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 MI SE. I CONTINUED TO DSND RATHER THAN RETRACE MY RTE BACK TO LIBERAL. I GOT IN THE CLR AT 600-800 FT AGL! AFTER I LANDED; THE AWOS WAS STILL RPTING CLR SKIES! I RECHKED NOTAMS AND THERE WAS NO NOTAM INDICATING AWOS IN ERROR. I AM SITTING IN A HOTEL ROOM IN LAMAR WAITING OUT THE WX AND FEELING STUPID. I KNOW BETTER THAN TO CONTINUE INTO DETERIORATING WX BUT; FOR SOME REASON; I KEPT BELIEVING THE AWOS EVEN THOUGH MY EYES TOLD ME SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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