ATC turned off ILS while aircraft was flying ILS approach.

Attributes
ACN	101660
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mlu
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mlu artcc : mmmx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	101660
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

On approach hand flying command bars with flight director coupled to ILS. Inside OM on G/south, on localizer at 800' MSL I got red flags on HSI. Copilot said, 'no sweat, #1 inverter failure,' then he switches to #2. Still no information. I had begun to increase power for go around. Suddenly tower said in a very shaky voice, 'turn right heading 270 degrees, climb and maintain 2000'.' simultaneously we broke out at approximately 700' MSL, saw runway and cancelled IFR. As we taxied in I asked ground what the hell that was all about and they asked me to call on phone. Explanation with many apologies: watch supervisor came up into tower. Tower controller was occupied. Supervisor saw wind had changed to favor runway 04 and west/O saying a word switched ILS to opposite runway. We had already been cleared to land so no communication necessary. Solution: don't walk into the tower and start flipping switches west/O talking to someone (even if you are the chief).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC TURNED OFF ILS WHILE ACFT WAS FLYING ILS APCH.

Narrative: ON APCH HAND FLYING COMMAND BARS WITH FLT DIRECTOR COUPLED TO ILS. INSIDE OM ON G/S, ON LOC AT 800' MSL I GOT RED FLAGS ON HSI. COPLT SAID, 'NO SWEAT, #1 INVERTER FAILURE,' THEN HE SWITCHES TO #2. STILL NO INFO. I HAD BEGUN TO INCREASE PWR FOR GAR. SUDDENLY TWR SAID IN A VERY SHAKY VOICE, 'TURN R HDG 270 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000'.' SIMULTANEOUSLY WE BROKE OUT AT APPROX 700' MSL, SAW RWY AND CANCELLED IFR. AS WE TAXIED IN I ASKED GND WHAT THE HELL THAT WAS ALL ABOUT AND THEY ASKED ME TO CALL ON PHONE. EXPLANATION WITH MANY APOLOGIES: WATCH SUPVR CAME UP INTO TWR. TWR CTLR WAS OCCUPIED. SUPVR SAW WIND HAD CHANGED TO FAVOR RWY 04 AND W/O SAYING A WORD SWITCHED ILS TO OPPOSITE RWY. WE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED TO LAND SO NO COM NECESSARY. SOLUTION: DON'T WALK INTO THE TWR AND START FLIPPING SWITCHES W/O TALKING TO SOMEONE (EVEN IF YOU ARE THE CHIEF).

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.