Narrative:

Myself and another pilot were flying our mlt helicopter on a coastal VFR patrol from san luis obispo in 3/89. It was a beautiful, clear day. We decided to bag an ILS into mry on the way to dropping off our passenger there. I received a clearance for vectors to final for the ILS 10 at mry. After tuning in the navaids and briefing the approach we were cleared. I had a good identify on munso LOM/IAF and a strong signal and identify on the localizer 110.7. However the identify on the localizer was not the same for the approach as indicated in the box enclosing the frequency. Since we had sensitivity and needle movement, we didn't challenge it. Then when we rolled out to intercept the course the needle moved opp our intercept inputs and we had a G/south off flag. This baffled us--the frequency was correct but the instruments weren't working correctly. We double-checked the approach plate and the radios for something we may have overlooked. Everything was proper. We informed approach controller and broke off the approach. Then we happened to look at the localizer/DME 28 at mry. The localizer frequency was the same (110.7) but the idents for the 2 approachs were different. Next thing we know--the ILS runway 10 identify is coming inboard and clear and correct, the G/south off flag disappeared and no more reverse sensing. I queried the controller what was going and he said, 'sorry about that--we had the wrong side turned on.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL HELICOPTER WAS GIVEN THE WRONG ILS WHEN REQUESTING RWY 10 ILS TO MRY.

Narrative: MYSELF AND ANOTHER PLT WERE FLYING OUR MLT HELI ON A COASTAL VFR PATROL FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO IN 3/89. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, CLEAR DAY. WE DECIDED TO BAG AN ILS INTO MRY ON THE WAY TO DROPPING OFF OUR PAX THERE. I RECEIVED A CLRNC FOR VECTORS TO FINAL FOR THE ILS 10 AT MRY. AFTER TUNING IN THE NAVAIDS AND BRIEFING THE APCH WE WERE CLRED. I HAD A GOOD IDENT ON MUNSO LOM/IAF AND A STRONG SIGNAL AND IDENT ON THE LOC 110.7. HOWEVER THE IDENT ON THE LOC WAS NOT THE SAME FOR THE APCH AS INDICATED IN THE BOX ENCLOSING THE FREQ. SINCE WE HAD SENSITIVITY AND NEEDLE MOVEMENT, WE DIDN'T CHALLENGE IT. THEN WHEN WE ROLLED OUT TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE THE NEEDLE MOVED OPP OUR INTERCEPT INPUTS AND WE HAD A G/S OFF FLAG. THIS BAFFLED US--THE FREQ WAS CORRECT BUT THE INSTRUMENTS WEREN'T WORKING CORRECTLY. WE DOUBLE-CHKED THE APCH PLATE AND THE RADIOS FOR SOMETHING WE MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED. EVERYTHING WAS PROPER. WE INFORMED APCH CTLR AND BROKE OFF THE APCH. THEN WE HAPPENED TO LOOK AT THE LOC/DME 28 AT MRY. THE LOC FREQ WAS THE SAME (110.7) BUT THE IDENTS FOR THE 2 APCHS WERE DIFFERENT. NEXT THING WE KNOW--THE ILS RWY 10 IDENT IS COMING INBOARD AND CLR AND CORRECT, THE G/S OFF FLAG DISAPPEARED AND NO MORE REVERSE SENSING. I QUERIED THE CTLR WHAT WAS GOING AND HE SAID, 'SORRY ABOUT THAT--WE HAD THE WRONG SIDE TURNED ON.'

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.