MD80 crew had erratic navigation signals from bkw VOR.

Attributes
ACN	423956
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bkw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	423956
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Bkw VOR. The NOTAM regarding 1 directional gyro bkw being unusable for navigation on J42 has been removed, but the VOR still appears to be unstable. On this flight we were showing centerline with a fluctuating needle and center advised us that we were 7.5 mi south of the airway. All other vors were normal, and bkw became stable upon crossing the VOR. They should reinstate the NOTAM, or fix the VOR so it is accurate and dependable for navigation. We advised center of the problem and continued on to bkw with a heading from ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD ERRATIC NAV SIGNALS FROM BKW VOR.

Narrative: BKW VOR. THE NOTAM REGARDING 1 DIRECTIONAL GYRO BKW BEING UNUSABLE FOR NAV ON J42 HAS BEEN REMOVED, BUT THE VOR STILL APPEARS TO BE UNSTABLE. ON THIS FLT WE WERE SHOWING CTRLINE WITH A FLUCTUATING NEEDLE AND CTR ADVISED US THAT WE WERE 7.5 MI S OF THE AIRWAY. ALL OTHER VORS WERE NORMAL, AND BKW BECAME STABLE UPON XING THE VOR. THEY SHOULD REINSTATE THE NOTAM, OR FIX THE VOR SO IT IS ACCURATE AND DEPENDABLE FOR NAV. WE ADVISED CTR OF THE PROB AND CONTINUED ON TO BKW WITH A HDG FROM ATC.

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.