Narrative:

While descending into washington from 8000 ft to 6000 ft we were instructed to hold at 'minie' intersection on the localizer. The first officer and I questioned the intersection at which they asked us to hold at. The ATIS listed the approach as localizer DME 19; minie intersection is on the rosslyn lda 19. As we were changing the approach in the FMS we arrived at minie and started a turn to the left to enter the hold. The localizer was not on and functioning so we had no positive course guidance. ATC then gave us a heading and asked us to make a tight turn. I turned the autoplt off and tightened the turn. Then ATC changed the holding fix to 'fergi' intersection to hold on the localizer. We set the lda DME 19 approach in the FMS and upon reaching the fix I started the turn to the left to enter the hold. The localizer was still not functioning. We asked ATC if the localizer was on and ATC said 'no;' they are changing the approach to ILS runway 1. We continued the hold left turns 5 mi legs for about 3 turns and then we were sent to the south along the east side of the airport for ILS runway 1. The approach was executed with no further event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB170 CAPT DESCRIBED INCIDENT INBOUND TO DCA WHEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS INVOLVED LOC THAT WAS NOT ON BECAUSE OF RWY CHANGE.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO WASHINGTON FROM 8000 FT TO 6000 FT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT 'MINIE' INTXN ON THE LOC. THE FO AND I QUESTIONED THE INTXN AT WHICH THEY ASKED US TO HOLD AT. THE ATIS LISTED THE APCH AS LOC DME 19; MINIE INTXN IS ON THE ROSSLYN LDA 19. AS WE WERE CHANGING THE APCH IN THE FMS WE ARRIVED AT MINIE AND STARTED A TURN TO THE L TO ENTER THE HOLD. THE LOC WAS NOT ON AND FUNCTIONING SO WE HAD NO POSITIVE COURSE GUIDANCE. ATC THEN GAVE US A HDG AND ASKED US TO MAKE A TIGHT TURN. I TURNED THE AUTOPLT OFF AND TIGHTENED THE TURN. THEN ATC CHANGED THE HOLDING FIX TO 'FERGI' INTXN TO HOLD ON THE LOC. WE SET THE LDA DME 19 APCH IN THE FMS AND UPON REACHING THE FIX I STARTED THE TURN TO THE L TO ENTER THE HOLD. THE LOC WAS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING. WE ASKED ATC IF THE LOC WAS ON AND ATC SAID 'NO;' THEY ARE CHANGING THE APCH TO ILS RWY 1. WE CONTINUED THE HOLD L TURNS 5 MI LEGS FOR ABOUT 3 TURNS AND THEN WE WERE SENT TO THE S ALONG THE E SIDE OF THE ARPT FOR ILS RWY 1. THE APCH WAS EXECUTED WITH NO FURTHER EVENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.