Narrative:

Cpr X told to cross dny VOR 9000', so we crossed at 9000'. When over the VOR bos said, 'turn right 15 degrees, intercept white plains 16 localizer.' there we were 70 NM away told to intercept. Bos was very busy due to storms in the area. 16 localizer was dialed in and we realized our new heading wouldn't intercept, so we asked for and got an additional 15 degree right. We tried to tell bos we were not receiving a reliable signal of the localizer, but he handed us off to another controller of bos. We called him up. So did a lot of other people. He got upset and said, 'gentlemen, I will call you all back when I get a chance.' in the meantime we were holding a 180 degree heading to intercept a localizer we couldn't receive. Finally he called us back and said, 'where are you going?' copilot said 180 degrees. ATC said to turn left to 090 degrees and intercept the 338 degree right dpk, so we did just that. Flight continued and was uneventful. ATIS was then picked up. They were landing ILS runway 34. We were abut 20 mi from the airport. Bos told us to intercept 16 localizer when in fact 34 was being used. All our needle deflections told us to turn right when the flags were off the indicator. Safety of flight was not jeopardized due to safe altitudes above the ground. Bos should not give instructions to intercept a localizer for 16 when in fact 34 is in use. Pilots won't be able to know if reverse sensing is required until ATIS is received. It is not unusual to receive this clearance to intercept localizer 16 near delancey VOR, but does bos understand you can't track it inbound with these instructions when in fact 34 ILS is being used?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR VECTOR TO WRONG RWY APCH COURSE. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: CPR X TOLD TO CROSS DNY VOR 9000', SO WE CROSSED AT 9000'. WHEN OVER THE VOR BOS SAID, 'TURN RIGHT 15 DEGS, INTERCEPT WHITE PLAINS 16 LOC.' THERE WE WERE 70 NM AWAY TOLD TO INTERCEPT. BOS WAS VERY BUSY DUE TO STORMS IN THE AREA. 16 LOC WAS DIALED IN AND WE REALIZED OUR NEW HDG WOULDN'T INTERCEPT, SO WE ASKED FOR AND GOT AN ADDITIONAL 15 DEG RIGHT. WE TRIED TO TELL BOS WE WERE NOT RECEIVING A RELIABLE SIGNAL OF THE LOC, BUT HE HANDED US OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR OF BOS. WE CALLED HIM UP. SO DID A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. HE GOT UPSET AND SAID, 'GENTLEMEN, I WILL CALL YOU ALL BACK WHEN I GET A CHANCE.' IN THE MEANTIME WE WERE HOLDING A 180 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT A LOC WE COULDN'T RECEIVE. FINALLY HE CALLED US BACK AND SAID, 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' COPLT SAID 180 DEGS. ATC SAID TO TURN LEFT TO 090 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE 338 DEG R DPK, SO WE DID JUST THAT. FLT CONTINUED AND WAS UNEVENTFUL. ATIS WAS THEN PICKED UP. THEY WERE LNDG ILS RWY 34. WE WERE ABUT 20 MI FROM THE ARPT. BOS TOLD US TO INTERCEPT 16 LOC WHEN IN FACT 34 WAS BEING USED. ALL OUR NEEDLE DEFLECTIONS TOLD US TO TURN RIGHT WHEN THE FLAGS WERE OFF THE INDICATOR. SAFETY OF FLT WAS NOT JEOPARDIZED DUE TO SAFE ALTS ABOVE THE GND. BOS SHOULD NOT GIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO INTERCEPT A LOC FOR 16 WHEN IN FACT 34 IS IN USE. PLTS WON'T BE ABLE TO KNOW IF REVERSE SENSING IS REQUIRED UNTIL ATIS IS RECEIVED. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO RECEIVE THIS CLRNC TO INTERCEPT LOC 16 NEAR DELANCEY VOR, BUT DOES BOS UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T TRACK IT INBND WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS WHEN IN FACT 34 ILS IS BEING USED?

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.