Narrative:

FMS was MEL'd and considered inoperative (MEL34-60-00). We were cleared as filed (lfd-tvt-esl-WZZRD2). In the climb; we were given a heading then direct lfd. In the climb; lfd was tuned and but not received. We chalked it up as us not being high enough to receive it. We were given vectors; in the climb; for traffic so we never reached lfd. Cleveland center issued us a reroute for washington dulles (air-J34-shaar-WZZRD2). We told her we weren't going to dulles; she corrected and said it was for dca. I explained that we were '/west' (ICAO sdwz) so were going to need vectors to air; as we were too far away to receive a VHF signal. We got within 30 miles of air; still wasn't receiving a VHF navigation signal (UHF DME was working). We inquired cleveland center if air was working and they verified it was (verified through another aircraft flying nearby). At around 30 miles it came alive and we received it. We were then recleared to dca via the eldee 5 arrival. We declined because it was an RNAV arrival. We were recleared via esl and the wzzrd 5. As we were still quite a distance away; we asked for a radar vectors until we received it. Again; we didn't receive a positive VHF navigation signal from the esl VOR until we were 20-30 miles away. Center handed us off to potomac approach. They cleared us to dca via the eldee 5 arrival. Again; we declined. They cleared us via the aml 285 radial; aml-dca. Potomac realized that aml was OTS; and then cleared us via direct to dca VOR. Descending through 11;000 ft for 7;000 ft; we were about 25 DME from dca VOR and were receiving an intermittent VHF navigation signal from the dca VOR. We were getting task saturated and potomac was getting frustrated with our navigation difficulties. We were aware of the congested airspace and the numerous restricted/prohibited areas around dca. We used captain authority and used the FMS navigation/pink needles to go direct to the dca VOR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 flight crew is dispatched with the FMC deferred and the appropriate equipment suffix on the flight plan. The crew is issued RNAV arrivals which are declined and in addition the VHF NAV receivers are very weak requiring many radar vectors. In the end the Captain elects to use the FMC to go direct to DCA.

Narrative: FMS was MEL'd and considered inoperative (MEL34-60-00). We were cleared as filed (LFD-TVT-ESL-WZZRD2). In the climb; we were given a heading then direct LFD. In the climb; LFD was tuned and but not received. We chalked it up as us not being high enough to receive it. We were given vectors; in the climb; for traffic so we never reached LFD. Cleveland Center issued us a reroute for Washington Dulles (AIR-J34-Shaar-WZZRD2). We told her we weren't going to Dulles; she corrected and said it was for DCA. I explained that we were '/W' (ICAO SDWZ) so were going to need vectors to AIR; as we were too far away to receive a VHF signal. We got within 30 miles of AIR; still wasn't receiving a VHF NAV signal (UHF DME was working). We inquired Cleveland Center if AIR was working and they verified it was (verified through another aircraft flying nearby). At around 30 miles it came alive and we received it. We were then recleared to DCA via the Eldee 5 arrival. We declined because it was an RNAV arrival. We were recleared via ESL and the WZZRD 5. As we were still quite a distance away; we asked for a radar vectors until we received it. Again; we didn't receive a positive VHF NAV signal from the ESL VOR until we were 20-30 miles away. Center handed us off to Potomac Approach. They cleared us to DCA via the ELDEE 5 arrival. Again; we declined. They cleared us via the AML 285 radial; AML-DCA. Potomac realized that AML was OTS; and then cleared us via direct to DCA VOR. Descending through 11;000 FT for 7;000 FT; we were about 25 DME from DCA VOR and were receiving an intermittent VHF NAV signal from the DCA VOR. We were getting task saturated and Potomac was getting frustrated with our navigation difficulties. We were aware of the congested airspace and the numerous Restricted/Prohibited areas around DCA. We used Captain Authority and used the FMS NAV/pink needles to go direct to the DCA VOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.