Narrative:

Cpr X was inbound to the airport, cleared to 2100 ft and told to report the airport in sight for a visual approach. The reported WX at the time was 12 mi visibility but it was very hazy and the flight visibility was less. I intercepted the localizer for runway 18L and proceeded inbound at 2100 ft, expecting to see the airport and report visual. When the airport was not in view at GS interception, I inadvertently followed the GS below 2100 without approach clearance. At about 1800 ft we saw the airport and tried to call memphis center for a visual clearance. We could not contact center and the air traffic area was approaching rapidly. I told the copilot to go over to tower and tell them we lost center and ask for clearance to land. The landing was completed with no problem. The problem here is, memphis center has 2 remote communications sites in the area on the same frequency. One at greenville and one at pine bluff about 50 mi away. The controller will turn off the greenville site because of interference and aircraft at greenville below about 5000 ft cannot hear the pine bluff transmitter. I feel that the greenville site, should always be used when aircraft are in the area on approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC DSCNT ON GS WITHOUT APCH CLRNC. VISUAL APCH. ZME REMOTE XMITTER SITE CANNOT BE HEARD BELOW 5000 FT. PINE BLUFF SITE.

Narrative: CPR X WAS INBOUND TO THE ARPT, CLRED TO 2100 FT AND TOLD TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE RPTED WX AT THE TIME WAS 12 MI VISIBILITY BUT IT WAS VERY HAZY AND THE FLT VISIBILITY WAS LESS. I INTERCEPTED THE LOC FOR RWY 18L AND PROCEEDED INBOUND AT 2100 FT, EXPECTING TO SEE THE ARPT AND RPT VISUAL. WHEN THE ARPT WAS NOT IN VIEW AT GS INTERCEPTION, I INADVERTENTLY FOLLOWED THE GS BELOW 2100 WITHOUT APCH CLRNC. AT ABOUT 1800 FT WE SAW THE ARPT AND TRIED TO CALL MEMPHIS CTR FOR A VISUAL CLRNC. WE COULD NOT CONTACT CTR AND THE ATA WAS APCHING RAPIDLY. I TOLD THE COPLT TO GO OVER TO TWR AND TELL THEM WE LOST CTR AND ASK FOR CLRNC TO LAND. THE LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITH NO PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HERE IS, MEMPHIS CTR HAS 2 REMOTE COMS SITES IN THE AREA ON THE SAME FREQ. ONE AT GREENVILLE AND ONE AT PINE BLUFF ABOUT 50 MI AWAY. THE CTLR WILL TURN OFF THE GREENVILLE SITE BECAUSE OF INTERFERENCE AND ACFT AT GREENVILLE BELOW ABOUT 5000 FT CANNOT HEAR THE PINE BLUFF XMITTER. I FEEL THAT THE GREENVILLE SITE, SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED WHEN ACFT ARE IN THE AREA 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.