Air carrier on ILS approach continued approach after localizer failed.

Attributes
ACN	137836
Time
Date	199002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : syr Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : contact approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	137836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	137581
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had been cleared for and were on the ILS runway 10 approach at syr. We were descending out of 2000' MSL with ground contact. The captain said he had the runway in sight. At about that time we lost the localizer and the tower said that the localizer was out and they had no missed approach. The tower had multiple power failures due to freezing rain accumulation on power lines causing the lines to snap. The tower stated they had no missed approach procedure and gave no instructions other than to maintain 2000', if we did not have the runway in sight. The controller was also talking to an aircraft that had just landed, which prevented us from asking for further instructions. Since we had the runway in sight we felt the safest action was to continue to the runway and land. After a couple of calls to tower we got clearance to land. After clearing the runway the controller said that in that situation we should ask for a contact approach. The tower controllers had their hands full with the multiple power failures, but we felt that more detailed missed approach instructions should have been given. The published missed approach was climb to 2700' direct syr LOM and hold. We can only assume that the LOM was without power also. Thankfully, we made a safe landing and had no more problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON ILS APCH CONTINUED APCH AFTER LOCALIZER FAILED.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR AND WERE ON THE ILS RWY 10 APCH AT SYR. WE WERE DESCENDING OUT OF 2000' MSL WITH GND CONTACT. THE CAPT SAID HE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME WE LOST THE LOC AND THE TWR SAID THAT THE LOC WAS OUT AND THEY HAD NO MISSED APCH. THE TWR HAD MULTIPLE POWER FAILURES DUE TO FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATION ON POWER LINES CAUSING THE LINES TO SNAP. THE TWR STATED THEY HAD NO MISSED APCH PROC AND GAVE NO INSTRUCTIONS OTHER THAN TO MAINTAIN 2000', IF WE DID NOT HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE CTLR WAS ALSO TALKING TO AN ACFT THAT HAD JUST LANDED, WHICH PREVENTED US FROM ASKING FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. SINCE WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT WE FELT THE SAFEST ACTION WAS TO CONTINUE TO THE RWY AND LAND. AFTER A COUPLE OF CALLS TO TWR WE GOT CLRNC TO LAND. AFTER CLEARING THE RWY THE CTLR SAID THAT IN THAT SITUATION WE SHOULD ASK FOR A CONTACT APCH. THE TWR CTLRS HAD THEIR HANDS FULL WITH THE MULTIPLE POWER FAILURES, BUT WE FELT THAT MORE DETAILED MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN. THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH WAS CLIMB TO 2700' DIRECT SYR LOM AND HOLD. WE CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THE LOM WAS WITHOUT POWER ALSO. THANKFULLY, WE MADE A SAFE LNDG AND HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.