Narrative:

We were assigned an aircraft that had been in maintenance for the last 2 days. I was the last captain to fly this aircraft and had written it up because the #1 navigation was not receiving any proper signals or idents. Maintenance placed the navigation on MEL, which allowed us to fly the aircraft in VFR conditions only. During our preflight, we attempted a vot check of the #2 navigation. An identing signal was never received, although this sometimes happens when we are parked next to the terminal, as in this case. This did raise my suspicions, though, as this was similar to the flight 2 days earlier. As we taxied out to 5R, we tuned into the localizer frequencys for 5R and 23L--2 different frequencys--and received proper idents. Even though cle's current WX was 4200' overcast, the clouds cleared just to the east and we would be able to climb to our filed altitude of 8000'. We set navigation #2 to akr VOR, approximately 30 mi southeast, and departed, destination det. We normally are able to pick up akr at about 3000'. In this case, we were cleared to 8000', but never received a signal from akr. We tuned in djb, approximately 15-20 mi away, and did not pick up a good signal. We were level at 8000' on top of a cloud deck. I informed cle departure that we had lost both navs, but still had our ADF's operating, and asked for vectors back to cle. We did not declare an emergency. We descended through the overcast and were cleared for the visibility approach for 5R. The first officer told company of our intentions. Navigation #2 picked up the localizer frequency. After landing, we tuned in the vot again, but it did not test properly. The next morning, I talked with a mechanic who had just completed working on the aircraft. He had helped install 80' of coaxial cable for both navigation systems. This aircraft is only 8-10 months old.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER WITH ONE VOR NAVIGATION RECEIVER INOPERATIVE MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LISTED FOR VMC ONLY, FINDS SECOND VOR RECEIVER UNRELIABLE AND RETURNS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED AN ACFT THAT HAD BEEN IN MAINT FOR THE LAST 2 DAYS. I WAS THE LAST CAPT TO FLY THIS ACFT AND HAD WRITTEN IT UP BECAUSE THE #1 NAV WAS NOT RECEIVING ANY PROPER SIGNALS OR IDENTS. MAINT PLACED THE NAV ON MEL, WHICH ALLOWED US TO FLY THE ACFT IN VFR CONDITIONS ONLY. DURING OUR PREFLT, WE ATTEMPTED A VOT CHK OF THE #2 NAV. AN IDENTING SIGNAL WAS NEVER RECEIVED, ALTHOUGH THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE PARKED NEXT TO THE TERMINAL, AS IN THIS CASE. THIS DID RAISE MY SUSPICIONS, THOUGH, AS THIS WAS SIMILAR TO THE FLT 2 DAYS EARLIER. AS WE TAXIED OUT TO 5R, WE TUNED INTO THE LOC FREQS FOR 5R AND 23L--2 DIFFERENT FREQS--AND RECEIVED PROPER IDENTS. EVEN THOUGH CLE'S CURRENT WX WAS 4200' OVCST, THE CLOUDS CLRED JUST TO THE E AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CLB TO OUR FILED ALT OF 8000'. WE SET NAV #2 TO AKR VOR, APPROX 30 MI SE, AND DEPARTED, DEST DET. WE NORMALLY ARE ABLE TO PICK UP AKR AT ABOUT 3000'. IN THIS CASE, WE WERE CLRED TO 8000', BUT NEVER RECEIVED A SIGNAL FROM AKR. WE TUNED IN DJB, APPROX 15-20 MI AWAY, AND DID NOT PICK UP A GOOD SIGNAL. WE WERE LEVEL AT 8000' ON TOP OF A CLOUD DECK. I INFORMED CLE DEP THAT WE HAD LOST BOTH NAVS, BUT STILL HAD OUR ADF'S OPERATING, AND ASKED FOR VECTORS BACK TO CLE. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. WE DSNDED THROUGH THE OVCST AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH FOR 5R. THE F/O TOLD COMPANY OF OUR INTENTIONS. NAV #2 PICKED UP THE LOC FREQ. AFTER LNDG, WE TUNED IN THE VOT AGAIN, BUT IT DID NOT TEST PROPERLY. THE NEXT MORNING, I TALKED WITH A MECH WHO HAD JUST COMPLETED WORKING ON THE ACFT. HE HAD HELPED INSTALL 80' OF COAXIAL CABLE FOR BOTH NAV SYSTEMS. THIS ACFT IS ONLY 8-10 MONTHS OLD.

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.