<< >> NASA ASRS Report 110948, May 1989

Tower controller reported ILS on standby, but flight crew detected no malfunction. Approached and landed normally to low minimums.

Attributes
ACN	110948
Time
Date	198905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 300 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oqi tower : pvd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	110948
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	110947
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During initial stage of approach, quonset approach advised ILS system had been 'in and out' all day. They didn't know what the problem was. All aircraft instruments were normal--good identify, no localizer or G/south flags. Also, the ATIS said nothing about any abnormalities. The approach was continued. Aircraft was switched to tower frequency. Once inside OM, tower advised localizer had gone to standby. We rechked our instruments. Everything was normal. Approach and landing were successfully completed. I feel the ILS should have been decommissioned or at least shut down until the unknown problems were resolved. Neither the first officer nor myself had ever heard the term 'localizer has gone to standby.' by not shutting down the ILS and issuing a NOTAM, we were placed in a difficult situation. Non standard phraseology on the radio was very misleading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR REPORTED ILS ON STANDBY, BUT FLT CREW DETECTED NO MALFUNCTION. APCHED AND LANDED NORMALLY TO LOW MINIMUMS.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL STAGE OF APCH, QUONSET APCH ADVISED ILS SYS HAD BEEN 'IN AND OUT' ALL DAY. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROB WAS. ALL ACFT INSTRUMENTS WERE NORMAL--GOOD IDENT, NO LOC OR G/S FLAGS. ALSO, THE ATIS SAID NOTHING ABOUT ANY ABNORMALITIES. THE APCH WAS CONTINUED. ACFT WAS SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ. ONCE INSIDE OM, TWR ADVISED LOC HAD GONE TO STANDBY. WE RECHKED OUR INSTRUMENTS. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. APCH AND LNDG WERE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED. I FEEL THE ILS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DECOMMISSIONED OR AT LEAST SHUT DOWN UNTIL THE UNKNOWN PROBS WERE RESOLVED. NEITHER THE F/O NOR MYSELF HAD EVER HEARD THE TERM 'LOC HAS GONE TO STANDBY.' BY NOT SHUTTING DOWN THE ILS AND ISSUING A NOTAM, WE WERE PLACED IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION. NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY ON THE RADIO WAS VERY MISLEADING.

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.