Narrative:

While on vectors the controller announced that the DME was out on the lda/DME is approach. I asked what the plan was. The controller said he would call the stepdown altitudes. He gave us an 040 degree heading to intercept lda course (145 degrees) inbound. We set 040 degrees in the heading bug and then discussed this. We asked if he meant 140 degrees and he said, 'fly 130 degree to intercept.' we finally flew 120 degrees so we would intercept outside 10 DME on the IRS. At 10 NM IRS position we asked for lower and were cleared from 3000 to 2000'. (About this time we heard him clear another air carrier to fly 090 degrees to intercept inbound.) at 6 NM IRS we asked for lower. The controller cleared us over to tower and said tower would give us lower. At the time we were on top of a broken layer and did not have visibility or the airport, although we did have ground contact. When we finally contacted tower on the fourth try (due to frequency congestion). He cleared us to land. We were still at 2000' and on top of the broken layer. Using the IRS distanced we started a descent through the cloud deck and at 3.6 NM and 1100' MSL we had contact with the airport, called it, and again were cleared to land. I was wrong to continue into the situation, but approach controller also made several major errors: 1) a vector 95 degrees off the inbound course with instructions to intercept. 2) improvising when a major portion (DME) of the approach failed. 3) over giving any approach clrncs. 4) turning us over to tower and expecting tower to issue altitude stepdowns. 5) not fully coordinating with tower. Everybody was trying to make it work but it could have been a disaster. When I talked with the supervisor when we landed he was unaware of the specific procedural discrepancies, even though he claimed to be standing next to the controller. The next time this happens I will declare missed approach or request vectors until another approach is up and we have time to brief it. I was very uneasy while this was going on and now I get mad every time I think about it--mad at myself as well as approach control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR SELECTED USED AN APCH NAVIGATION AID WHICH HAD A MAJOR COMPONENT OUT OF SERVICE.

Narrative: WHILE ON VECTORS THE CTLR ANNOUNCED THAT THE DME WAS OUT ON THE LDA/DME IS APCH. I ASKED WHAT THE PLAN WAS. THE CTLR SAID HE WOULD CALL THE STEPDOWN ALTS. HE GAVE US AN 040 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT LDA COURSE (145 DEGS) INBND. WE SET 040 DEGS IN THE HDG BUG AND THEN DISCUSSED THIS. WE ASKED IF HE MEANT 140 DEGS AND HE SAID, 'FLY 130 DEG TO INTERCEPT.' WE FINALLY FLEW 120 DEGS SO WE WOULD INTERCEPT OUTSIDE 10 DME ON THE IRS. AT 10 NM IRS POS WE ASKED FOR LOWER AND WERE CLRED FROM 3000 TO 2000'. (ABOUT THIS TIME WE HEARD HIM CLR ANOTHER ACR TO FLY 090 DEGS TO INTERCEPT INBND.) AT 6 NM IRS WE ASKED FOR LOWER. THE CTLR CLRED US OVER TO TWR AND SAID TWR WOULD GIVE US LOWER. AT THE TIME WE WERE ON TOP OF A BROKEN LAYER AND DID NOT HAVE VIS OR THE ARPT, ALTHOUGH WE DID HAVE GND CONTACT. WHEN WE FINALLY CONTACTED TWR ON THE FOURTH TRY (DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION). HE CLRED US TO LAND. WE WERE STILL AT 2000' AND ON TOP OF THE BROKEN LAYER. USING THE IRS DISTANCED WE STARTED A DSNT THROUGH THE CLOUD DECK AND AT 3.6 NM AND 1100' MSL WE HAD CONTACT WITH THE ARPT, CALLED IT, AND AGAIN WERE CLRED TO LAND. I WAS WRONG TO CONTINUE INTO THE SITUATION, BUT APCH CTLR ALSO MADE SEVERAL MAJOR ERRORS: 1) A VECTOR 95 DEGS OFF THE INBND COURSE WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO INTERCEPT. 2) IMPROVISING WHEN A MAJOR PORTION (DME) OF THE APCH FAILED. 3) OVER GIVING ANY APCH CLRNCS. 4) TURNING US OVER TO TWR AND EXPECTING TWR TO ISSUE ALT STEPDOWNS. 5) NOT FULLY COORDINATING WITH TWR. EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. WHEN I TALKED WITH THE SUPVR WHEN WE LANDED HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE SPECIFIC PROCEDURAL DISCREPANCIES, EVEN THOUGH HE CLAIMED TO BE STANDING NEXT TO THE CTLR. THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS I WILL DECLARE MISSED APCH OR REQUEST VECTORS UNTIL ANOTHER APCH IS UP AND WE HAVE TIME TO BRIEF IT. I WAS VERY UNEASY WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON AND NOW I GET MAD EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT IT--MAD AT MYSELF AS WELL AS APCH CTL.

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.