Narrative:

We approached mht from the southeast and were vectored to a left downwind leg to the VOR DME 17 approach. While established on the inbound leg I was surprised by the southwest heading to maintain course. I knew there was a strong southwest flow through the area but the CDI was centered. Approach asked if we were following the approach. We then broke out about 1200' AGL and saw the airport at 10 O'clock. We were about 2 mi west of centerline with an on course indication. I told the first officer to tell approach there is a bend in the radial. They replied they had received many complaints. I wonder how far they would have allowed me to go. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he has had his company look into the situation and the FAA claims there is no problem. Reporter says it reminds him of a situation at bos some yrs back where the G/south had a definite hump (4R). FAA consistently denied a problem existed. On a program where FAA personnel moved temporarily to other departments as a x-chk on procedures, etc, a gentleman who was a G/south expert arrived at bos. He said, 'oh yeah, I can fix that,' and proceeded to do so. Reporter feels maybe 'somebody' could fix this VOR as well. Callback conversation with facility controller revealed the following: controller states yes, 'there is a problem with the VOR DME approach.' aircraft are often 1-1 1/2 mi west of centerline while indicating on centerline. Controllers are aware and stay alert. 2 yrs facility requested checks on equipment. FAA says within tolerance. Controllers and users have complained. There are definitely some 'vagaries' in the signal about 12 DME on approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON VOR DME APCH SHOWING ACFT ON CENTERLINE. BREAKS OUT AT 1200' ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF COURSE.

Narrative: WE APCHED MHT FROM THE SE AND WERE VECTORED TO A LEFT DOWNWIND LEG TO THE VOR DME 17 APCH. WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE INBND LEG I WAS SURPRISED BY THE SW HDG TO MAINTAIN COURSE. I KNEW THERE WAS A STRONG SW FLOW THROUGH THE AREA BUT THE CDI WAS CENTERED. APCH ASKED IF WE WERE FOLLOWING THE APCH. WE THEN BROKE OUT ABOUT 1200' AGL AND SAW THE ARPT AT 10 O'CLOCK. WE WERE ABOUT 2 MI W OF CENTERLINE WITH AN ON COURSE INDICATION. I TOLD THE F/O TO TELL APCH THERE IS A BEND IN THE RADIAL. THEY REPLIED THEY HAD RECEIVED MANY COMPLAINTS. I WONDER HOW FAR THEY WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ME TO GO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE HAS HAD HIS COMPANY LOOK INTO THE SITUATION AND THE FAA CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROB. RPTR SAYS IT REMINDS HIM OF A SITUATION AT BOS SOME YRS BACK WHERE THE G/S HAD A DEFINITE HUMP (4R). FAA CONSISTENTLY DENIED A PROB EXISTED. ON A PROGRAM WHERE FAA PERSONNEL MOVED TEMPORARILY TO OTHER DEPTS AS A X-CHK ON PROCS, ETC, A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS A G/S EXPERT ARRIVED AT BOS. HE SAID, 'OH YEAH, I CAN FIX THAT,' AND PROCEEDED TO DO SO. RPTR FEELS MAYBE 'SOMEBODY' COULD FIX THIS VOR AS WELL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FAC CTLR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CTLR STATES YES, 'THERE IS A PROB WITH THE VOR DME APCH.' ACFT ARE OFTEN 1-1 1/2 MI W OF CENTERLINE WHILE INDICATING ON CENTERLINE. CTLRS ARE AWARE AND STAY ALERT. 2 YRS FAC REQUESTED CHKS ON EQUIP. FAA SAYS WITHIN TOLERANCE. CTLRS AND USERS HAVE COMPLAINED. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME 'VAGARIES' IN THE SIGNAL ABOUT 12 DME ON APCH.

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.