C650 crew was having trouble establishing themselves on a back course approach.

Attributes
ACN	539252
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ptk.airport
State Reference	MI
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ptk.tower tracon : cyul.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	539253
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed missed approach flight crew : became reoriented none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Vectors for a localizer back course at ptk we passed through the course on initial vector. Upon re-intercepting we noted we had not reached the final approach fix. We were using DME and the FMS/GPS to identify the fix. Once back established we descended to the FAF altitude. The localizer was idented and was behaving erratically moving back and forth. Once passing the FAF we started our descent to MDA, broke out of the bases and started to look for the airport. The tower then asked our intentions and stated we passed the airport. We had erroneous readings on the DME for the missed approach point and did not get to MDA in time to see the airport. We followed the tower's missed instructions and returned to the ILS approach

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C650 CREW WAS HAVING TROUBLE ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES ON A BACK COURSE APCH.

Narrative: VECTORS FOR A LOC BACK COURSE AT PTK WE PASSED THROUGH THE COURSE ON INITIAL VECTOR. UPON RE-INTERCEPTING WE NOTED WE HAD NOT REACHED THE FINAL APCH FIX. WE WERE USING DME AND THE FMS/GPS TO IDENT THE FIX. ONCE BACK ESTABLISHED WE DSNDED TO THE FAF ALT. THE LOC WAS IDENTED AND WAS BEHAVING ERRATICALLY MOVING BACK AND FORTH. ONCE PASSING THE FAF WE STARTED OUR DSCNT TO MDA, BROKE OUT OF THE BASES AND STARTED TO LOOK FOR THE ARPT. THE TWR THEN ASKED OUR INTENTIONS AND STATED WE PASSED THE ARPT. WE HAD ERRONEOUS READINGS ON THE DME FOR THE MISSED APCH POINT AND DID NOT GET TO MDA IN TIME TO SEE THE ARPT. WE FOLLOWED THE TWR'S MISSED INSTRUCTIONS AND RETURNED TO THE ILS 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.