Narrative:

Approximately 40 mi west of binghamton VOR, was cleared to 4000' and cleared for an ILS approach to runway 34. Transition was made via the published procedure from the bgm VOR to nimmons rb and a course reversal was accomplished using the holding pattern reversal. Approximately 5 mi southeast of nimmons, on the localizer, I observed glide slope 'off flags' on both FD108's. I asked the first officer to verify with bgm tower the operational status of the glide slope. Tower advised glide slope monitored normal. Approximately 1 mi inside nimmons, localizer indication started moving to the left. With the passage of a very rapidly moving cold front, we anticipated a strong westerly wind and 10 degree course correction was input. Needle continued moving left and another 10 degree input was added. At this time localizer indication was full-scale left. Descent was halted at 3500' while we appraised the situation. Following the old adage 'when in doubt get the hell out' a missed approach was initiated and the aircraft climbed back to 3900' and returned to the bgm VOR. As I commenced the missed approach procedure the big light bulb came on and I realized that the tower controller had the instrument landing system set up for runway 16. The first officer, at my request, asked the tower controller to verify that the ILS was in fact up on 34. The response was hesitant and stammered until he finally conveyed that the ILS was definitely up on 34. At this time both localizer needles on our flight directors went from full-scale left to full-scale right. As best I can ascertain all apches for a period of 5-6 hours before our arrival had been conducted with an ILS approach to runway 16. With the passage of the cold front, and the accompanying windshift to wnw, the ILS was never changed to runway 34.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ILS NOT TURNED ON AFTER RWY CHANGE RESULTING IN A MISSED APCH.

Narrative: APPROX 40 MI W OF BINGHAMTON VOR, WAS CLRED TO 4000' AND CLRED FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 34. TRANSITION WAS MADE VIA THE PUBLISHED PROC FROM THE BGM VOR TO NIMMONS RB AND A COURSE REVERSAL WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING THE HOLDING PATTERN REVERSAL. APPROX 5 MI SE OF NIMMONS, ON THE LOC, I OBSERVED GLIDE SLOPE 'OFF FLAGS' ON BOTH FD108'S. I ASKED THE F/O TO VERIFY WITH BGM TWR THE OPERATIONAL STATUS OF THE GLIDE SLOPE. TWR ADVISED GLIDE SLOPE MONITORED NORMAL. APPROX 1 MI INSIDE NIMMONS, LOC INDICATION STARTED MOVING TO THE LEFT. WITH THE PASSAGE OF A VERY RAPIDLY MOVING COLD FRONT, WE ANTICIPATED A STRONG WESTERLY WIND AND 10 DEG COURSE CORRECTION WAS INPUT. NEEDLE CONTINUED MOVING LEFT AND ANOTHER 10 DEG INPUT WAS ADDED. AT THIS TIME LOC INDICATION WAS FULL-SCALE LEFT. DSCNT WAS HALTED AT 3500' WHILE WE APPRAISED THE SITUATION. FOLLOWING THE OLD ADAGE 'WHEN IN DOUBT GET THE HELL OUT' A MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED AND THE ACFT CLIMBED BACK TO 3900' AND RETURNED TO THE BGM VOR. AS I COMMENCED THE MISSED APCH PROC THE BIG LIGHT BULB CAME ON AND I REALIZED THAT THE TWR CTLR HAD THE INSTRUMENT LNDG SYSTEM SET UP FOR RWY 16. THE F/O, AT MY REQUEST, ASKED THE TWR CTLR TO VERIFY THAT THE ILS WAS IN FACT UP ON 34. THE RESPONSE WAS HESITANT AND STAMMERED UNTIL HE FINALLY CONVEYED THAT THE ILS WAS DEFINITELY UP ON 34. AT THIS TIME BOTH LOC NEEDLES ON OUR FLT DIRECTORS WENT FROM FULL-SCALE LEFT TO FULL-SCALE RIGHT. AS BEST I CAN ASCERTAIN ALL APCHES FOR A PERIOD OF 5-6 HRS BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL HAD BEEN CONDUCTED WITH AN ILS APCH TO RWY 16. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT, AND THE ACCOMPANYING WINDSHIFT TO WNW, THE ILS WAS NEVER CHANGED TO RWY 34.

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.