Narrative:

I approached from the north to hlv cleared by kansas city center to descend and maintain 3000' and contact columbia approach on 120.0. I did this and asked if I could have the runway 2 ILS approach. I thought that radar vectors would be provided as this was an approach frequency. Approach asked me to report zodia (LOM) which I did. Then I was asked to report outbnd procedure turn. At this point I was in and out of cloud bases and later VFR. I apparently had the wrong frequency tuned in and could not locate the localizer. I turned around and headed north to try to intercept the localizer which never happened. At this time I looked to the left and saw jefferson memorial which I thought was cou approach asked me where I was. She told me only then that she had no radar. I made a low pass over runway 8 and reported that I could see the mo national guard building sign. A pilot heard this and told approach where I was and why I was not coming across the runway 2 threshold. I was given instructions for VFR navigation by cou tower and landed runway 20 cou west/O further problems. I think this whole thing could have been avoided by the approach controller telling me that the radar was down and I would have flown the VOR 20 back course approach as originally asked to do. As pilot I need to be more careful with the radios. I don't think anyone was in danger as mvr below 1500' existed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT ON ILS APCH MISTUNES LOC SO CAN'T FIND IT, BECOMES DISORIENTED, AND LANDS WITH FLT ASSIST FROM TWR.

Narrative: I APCHED FROM THE N TO HLV CLRED BY KANSAS CITY CTR TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000' AND CONTACT COLUMBIA APCH ON 120.0. I DID THIS AND ASKED IF I COULD HAVE THE RWY 2 ILS APCH. I THOUGHT THAT RADAR VECTORS WOULD BE PROVIDED AS THIS WAS AN APCH FREQ. APCH ASKED ME TO RPT ZODIA (LOM) WHICH I DID. THEN I WAS ASKED TO RPT OUTBND PROC TURN. AT THIS POINT I WAS IN AND OUT OF CLOUD BASES AND LATER VFR. I APPARENTLY HAD THE WRONG FREQ TUNED IN AND COULD NOT LOCATE THE LOC. I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED N TO TRY TO INTERCEPT THE LOC WHICH NEVER HAPPENED. AT THIS TIME I LOOKED TO THE L AND SAW JEFFERSON MEMORIAL WHICH I THOUGHT WAS COU APCH ASKED ME WHERE I WAS. SHE TOLD ME ONLY THEN THAT SHE HAD NO RADAR. I MADE A LOW PASS OVER RWY 8 AND RPTED THAT I COULD SEE THE MO NATIONAL GUARD BUILDING SIGN. A PLT HEARD THIS AND TOLD APCH WHERE I WAS AND WHY I WAS NOT COMING ACROSS THE RWY 2 THRESHOLD. I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR VFR NAV BY COU TWR AND LANDED RWY 20 COU W/O FURTHER PROBS. I THINK THIS WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY THE APCH CTLR TELLING ME THAT THE RADAR WAS DOWN AND I WOULD HAVE FLOWN THE VOR 20 BC APCH AS ORIGINALLY ASKED TO DO. AS PLT I NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL WITH THE RADIOS. I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS IN DANGER AS MVR BELOW 1500' EXISTED.

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.