Corp pilot indicates weak NDB at airport with only NDB approach.

Attributes
ACN	286914
Time
Date	199410
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : arf airport : 8a0
State Reference	AL
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air 100 A/B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	286914
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Cleared direct saratoga NDB, approach 20 mi south of 8a0. Receiving faint identifier however never received a reliable needle. Delayed completion of approach. Required vectoring and use of lrn to locate beacon and still indications were unreliable more than 1 or 2 mi from beacon. I have considerable experience with NDB approachs and know I was not misreading my RMI. We need a better facility for this airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states his corp is based at 8a0 and they use the approach frequently. On this day the WX was much better all around and he thought he could make the approach easily. Ceilings were lower than anticipated and he had not programmed his GPS for the airport. He has flown in alaska and is quite used to NDB approachs but this beacon is so weak that he was almost over it prior to getting an indication. As soon as he turned outbound on the approach he lost the NDB. He does not feel it is his equipment as it works well elsewhere. Usually one needs to do a circling approach because you are too high at the airport. What is needed is a better beacon and a better approach to be able to come straight in. Most pilots just use the GPS and published altitudes. Reporter suggest contacting the airport manager for verification.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP PLT INDICATES WEAK NDB AT ARPT WITH ONLY NDB APCH.

Narrative: CLRED DIRECT SARATOGA NDB, APCH 20 MI S OF 8A0. RECEIVING FAINT IDENTIFIER HOWEVER NEVER RECEIVED A RELIABLE NEEDLE. DELAYED COMPLETION OF APCH. REQUIRED VECTORING AND USE OF LRN TO LOCATE BEACON AND STILL INDICATIONS WERE UNRELIABLE MORE THAN 1 OR 2 MI FROM BEACON. I HAVE CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE WITH NDB APCHS AND KNOW I WAS NOT MISREADING MY RMI. WE NEED A BETTER FACILITY FOR THIS ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HIS CORP IS BASED AT 8A0 AND THEY USE THE APCH FREQUENTLY. ON THIS DAY THE WX WAS MUCH BETTER ALL AROUND AND HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE THE APCH EASILY. CEILINGS WERE LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED AND HE HAD NOT PROGRAMMED HIS GPS FOR THE ARPT. HE HAS FLOWN IN ALASKA AND IS QUITE USED TO NDB APCHS BUT THIS BEACON IS SO WEAK THAT HE WAS ALMOST OVER IT PRIOR TO GETTING AN INDICATION. AS SOON AS HE TURNED OUTBOUND ON THE APCH HE LOST THE NDB. HE DOES NOT FEEL IT IS HIS EQUIP AS IT WORKS WELL ELSEWHERE. USUALLY ONE NEEDS TO DO A CIRCLING APCH BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO HIGH AT THE ARPT. WHAT IS NEEDED IS A BETTER BEACON AND A BETTER APCH TO BE ABLE TO COME STRAIGHT IN. MOST PLTS JUST USE THE GPS AND PUBLISHED ALTS. RPTR SUGGEST CONTACTING THE ARPT MGR FOR VERIFICATION.

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.