Summary
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated several recent incidents and accidents and engaged in discussions with members of various pilot weather report (PIREP) user groups that revealed deficiencies in the handling of PIREP information that resulted in delays, errors, and data losses. These types of issues can play a role in the complex interaction of events and conditions that lead to aircraft accidents. Specifically, between March 2012 and December 2015, the NTSB investigated 16 accidents and incidents that exposed PIREP-related areas of concern. This special investigation report describes the two broad categories of issues that reduce the effectiveness of PIREPs: submission issues and dissemination issues. The NTSB makes safety recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Weather Service, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute, the Aviation Accreditation Board International, the National Association of Flight Instructors, the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators, and the Cargo Airline Association.
In the August 2017 issue of NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System's (ASRS) publication Callback, ASRS reports on their involvement with the PIREPS forum and provide some examples of PIREP contributions to safety. The issue can be accessed on NASA's website.