Light transport issued approach on wrong ILS system.

Attributes
ACN	323261
Time
Date	199512
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	323261
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

East of the i-sjc localizer 6 NM south of sjc at 8000 ft on the jawws 1 arrival coaldale transition we were expecting the ILS runway 12R per the ATIS and STAR restrs. We were given 2 frequency changes in rapid succession while my copilot was trying to update our ATIS information which still showed runway 12R as the active runway. With no reply on the 2ND frequency change we went back to the last frequency. We were told the last frequency was given in error and that we were on the correct frequency, given a 270 degree heading, descent clearance to 4000 ft and cleared for the ILS runway 30L just outside the OM for runway 30L. I initiated our descent as soon as my copilot selected the localizer frequency and inbound course on my side. The sjc VOR was still selected on the copilot's side so his needle was within 1 DOT right of course. My HSI needle was full scale right indicating we had already flown through the localizer, so I started a right turn to intercept. I asked my copilot for an identify for the localizer because I knew the ILS went up a valley with hills on each side, some higher than 4000 ft (MSA equals 5500 ft). I stopped the descent between 6300 ft and 6000 ft, and my copilot was telling me the selected localizer (correct frequency) was not giving the correct identify. At the same time approach called and said we were showing 2 mi right of course and asked what we were indicating. We told them we were showing left of course and asked for a vector for the localizer. We still showed we were left of course after requesting approach to check the localizer selected by tower. We told approach that the ILS approach was not going to work and asked for a radar vector for a visual approach. We were given an approximately 260 degree heading and descent to 3000 ft for the visual. When we broke out we were 3 mi from the airport and descending through 4000 ft. A stabilized descent to the runway touchdown zone could not be made so we initiated a go around. Tower switched us back to approach for sequencing for another ILS. Approach asked the reason for the go around and we told them the localizer was never changed from runway 12R and it messed up our approach and left us too high to land on the runway. We were then given a clearance for a visual approach and landed without further incident. I called sjc tower and then approach and discussed the mistakes that were made in hopes of preventing a recurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ISSUED APCH ON WRONG ILS SYS.

Narrative: E OF THE I-SJC LOC 6 NM S OF SJC AT 8000 FT ON THE JAWWS 1 ARR COALDALE TRANSITION WE WERE EXPECTING THE ILS RWY 12R PER THE ATIS AND STAR RESTRS. WE WERE GIVEN 2 FREQ CHANGES IN RAPID SUCCESSION WHILE MY COPLT WAS TRYING TO UPDATE OUR ATIS INFO WHICH STILL SHOWED RWY 12R AS THE ACTIVE RWY. WITH NO REPLY ON THE 2ND FREQ CHANGE WE WENT BACK TO THE LAST FREQ. WE WERE TOLD THE LAST FREQ WAS GIVEN IN ERROR AND THAT WE WERE ON THE CORRECT FREQ, GIVEN A 270 DEG HDG, DSCNT CLRNC TO 4000 FT AND CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 30L JUST OUTSIDE THE OM FOR RWY 30L. I INITIATED OUR DSCNT AS SOON AS MY COPLT SELECTED THE LOC FREQ AND INBOUND COURSE ON MY SIDE. THE SJC VOR WAS STILL SELECTED ON THE COPLT'S SIDE SO HIS NEEDLE WAS WITHIN 1 DOT R OF COURSE. MY HSI NEEDLE WAS FULL SCALE R INDICATING WE HAD ALREADY FLOWN THROUGH THE LOC, SO I STARTED A R TURN TO INTERCEPT. I ASKED MY COPLT FOR AN IDENT FOR THE LOC BECAUSE I KNEW THE ILS WENT UP A VALLEY WITH HILLS ON EACH SIDE, SOME HIGHER THAN 4000 FT (MSA EQUALS 5500 FT). I STOPPED THE DSCNT BTWN 6300 FT AND 6000 FT, AND MY COPLT WAS TELLING ME THE SELECTED LOC (CORRECT FREQ) WAS NOT GIVING THE CORRECT IDENT. AT THE SAME TIME APCH CALLED AND SAID WE WERE SHOWING 2 MI R OF COURSE AND ASKED WHAT WE WERE INDICATING. WE TOLD THEM WE WERE SHOWING L OF COURSE AND ASKED FOR A VECTOR FOR THE LOC. WE STILL SHOWED WE WERE L OF COURSE AFTER REQUESTING APCH TO CHK THE LOC SELECTED BY TWR. WE TOLD APCH THAT THE ILS APCH WAS NOT GOING TO WORK AND ASKED FOR A RADAR VECTOR FOR A VISUAL APCH. WE WERE GIVEN AN APPROX 260 DEG HDG AND DSCNT TO 3000 FT FOR THE VISUAL. WHEN WE BROKE OUT WE WERE 3 MI FROM THE ARPT AND DSNDING THROUGH 4000 FT. A STABILIZED DSCNT TO THE RWY TOUCHDOWN ZONE COULD NOT BE MADE SO WE INITIATED A GAR. TWR SWITCHED US BACK TO APCH FOR SEQUENCING FOR ANOTHER ILS. APCH ASKED THE REASON FOR THE GAR AND WE TOLD THEM THE LOC WAS NEVER CHANGED FROM RWY 12R AND IT MESSED UP OUR APCH AND LEFT US TOO HIGH TO LAND ON THE RWY. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I CALLED SJC TWR AND THEN APCH AND DISCUSSED THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE IN HOPES OF PREVENTING A RECURRENCE.

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.