Safety Recommendation A-18-021

We understand that you plan to update NWS Instruction 10-811 for several revisions to include guidance on issuing airmen’s meteorological information advisories and other products, as recommended. Pending completion of the recommended revisions to NWS Instruction 10-811, the Board has voted to retain the classification of OPEN-- ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE for Safety Recommendation A-18-21.

-From Ken Harding, Chief Operating Officer, NOAA National Weather Service: In 2024, the NWS plans to update NWSI 10-811 for several revisions to include guidance on the issuance of Airmen’s Meteorological Information and other products that advise of non-convective turbulence hazards when convective Significant Meteorological Information products are active or may be issued, in the same region.

We note that you continue to update both NWS Instruction 10-811 and internal forecasting documentation for AWC staff with proper criteria for issuing AIRMETs when a convective SIGMET is in effect. We also note that, once these documents have been updated, AWC management will include this information in the AWC Station Duty Manual and inform forecast staff of the changes. Pending our review of the updated NWS Instruction 10-811, Safety Recommendation A 18 21 remains classified OPEN-- ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From John D. Murphy, Chief Operating Officer, NOAA National Weather Service: NWS staff continue to work on updates to both 10-811 and internal forecasting documentation for AWC staff to outline the proper criteria to issue AIRMETs when a Convective SIGMET is in effect. As the NWS works towards policy completion, we plan to coordinate with NTSB to ensure we are capturing the intent of the recommendation without creating any safety issues elsewhere. Once the wording in 10-811 is official, AWC management will ensure the same information is highlighted in the AWC Station Duty Manual and socialized to the forecast staff. The NWS will provide another update to NTSB once these items are complete.

We note that the AWC currently trains forecasters on ways to assess and collaborate on convective and nonconvective weather hazards occurring in the same region, and that it plans to update its internal forecast operations documentation policy to include collaboration on convective and nonconvective hazards. We also note that the AWC plans to participate in revising NWS Instruction 10-811. Pending completion of these revisions, Safety Recommendation A 18 21 is classified OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

-From John D. Murphy, Chief Operating Officer, NOAA National Weather Service: The NWS is committed to creating more consistent guidance for forecasters to follow when low-level turbulence hazards are in close proximity to Convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) areas. Consistent with the FAA AC 00-45 series, any Convective SIGMET implies severe or greater turbulence, severe icing, and low-level windshear.

The NWS issues Convective SIGMETs for those aviation weather hazards directly associated with convection and, when necessary, issues SIGMETs or Airmen’s Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) for turbulence areas not associated with convection. The AWC is currently training forecasters on techniques to assess and collaborate on convective and non-convective weather hazards occurring in the same region. As training continues, work will begin to update AWC policy for collaboration on Convective and Non-convective hazards to be included in the AWC Forecast Operations documentation. Target completion for this documentation update will be the end of FY19.

Once complete, the AWC will work with the Aviation and Space Weather Services Branch (AFS24) at NWS headquarters to revise NWS Instruction 10-811 to reflect these techniques. Target completion of this revision will be March 2020.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant accidents in other modes of transportation—railroad, highway, marine, and pipeline. We determine the probable cause of the accidents and issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. In addition, we carry out special studies concerning transportation safety and coordinate the resources of the federal government and other organizations to provide assistance to victims and their family members affected by major transportation disasters.

On August 2, 2018, the NTSB adopted its safety recommendation report, “Guidance on the Issuance of Turbulence Products and Training for Low-Level Turbulence Identification and Forecasting for National Weather Service Forecasters” (ASR-18/03). The details of the related accident investigation and the resulting safety recommendations may be found in the attached report, which can also be accessed at http://www.ntsb.gov.

Two safety recommendations are issued to the National Weather Service, which can be found on page 6 of the report.

The NTSB is vitally interested in these recommendations because they are designed to prevent accidents and save lives. We would appreciate a response within 90 days, detailing the actions you have taken or intend to take to implement the recommendations. When replying, please refer to the safety recommendations by number. We encourage you to submit your response to correspondence@ntsb.gov. If it exceeds 20 megabytes, including attachments, please e-mail us at the same address for instructions. Please do not submit both an electronic copy and a hard copy of the same response.