Air carrier on radar vector to ILS final lost radio contact with ATC and flew through the final appr...

Attributes
ACN	178602
Time
Date	199105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msn
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	178602
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Tower closed. We were air carrier X, ord to msn, operating late. WX at msn obtained from FSS. Chicago center issued a vector to 36 ILS at our request. At about 20 DME from msn, chi cleared us to 2800' MSL and heading 280 degree. The copilot remained on msn VOR and I tuned the ILS. As we got closer the ILS flags remained off. Recycling did not help. Monah NDB had been tuned and was pointing correctly. The off flags on the ILS were not surprising initially because of our distance from the field. We expected a vector to intercept but none was issued. When we passed through the localizer (based on information from VOR and NDB) we attempted contact with center. When the copilot could not contact chicago, I announced that I was pulling up to MSA of 3300' MSL. (We had already briefed these altitudes [MSA and MEA] prior to the approach). As we approached 3300', it looked as though we might get on top, so I continued up to 4000' MSL and did get on top. Meanwhile, the copilot was attempting to contact chicago, and I initiated a turn towards the msn VOR. When contact was established, chicago said it was a good thing that we went to 4000' MSL. We were vectored to the 36 ILS and landed uneventfully. Incidentally, I did look at the highest obstruction on the plate and it was a factor in my decision to climb to 4000' MSL. Also chicago indicated some radio reception problems in that area in the past. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that crew had briefed on MEA's and MSA's prior to making approach. Even as they xed through the localizer there was still a flag. Not until the second approach did the problem clear up. Reporter suspects that maybe rain might have had something to do with the localizer flag and ATC communication problem. After they pulled up, a right turn was started and radio contact reestablished. They broke out of the clouds on final approach at 500' and cancelled IFR with the center. Reporter said that the runway lights were on dim, but could not increase the intensity. Reporter also is critical of the poor quality of ATC radios in general.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON RADAR VECTOR TO ILS FINAL LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AND FLEW THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE. REPORTER CLIMBED TO GET ABOVE THE MSA.

Narrative: TWR CLOSED. WE WERE ACR X, ORD TO MSN, OPERATING LATE. WX AT MSN OBTAINED FROM FSS. CHICAGO CTR ISSUED A VECTOR TO 36 ILS AT OUR REQUEST. AT ABOUT 20 DME FROM MSN, CHI CLRED US TO 2800' MSL AND HDG 280 DEG. THE COPLT REMAINED ON MSN VOR AND I TUNED THE ILS. AS WE GOT CLOSER THE ILS FLAGS REMAINED OFF. RECYCLING DID NOT HELP. MONAH NDB HAD BEEN TUNED AND WAS POINTING CORRECTLY. THE OFF FLAGS ON THE ILS WERE NOT SURPRISING INITIALLY BECAUSE OF OUR DISTANCE FROM THE FIELD. WE EXPECTED A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT BUT NONE WAS ISSUED. WHEN WE PASSED THROUGH THE LOC (BASED ON INFO FROM VOR AND NDB) WE ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH CTR. WHEN THE COPLT COULD NOT CONTACT CHICAGO, I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS PULLING UP TO MSA OF 3300' MSL. (WE HAD ALREADY BRIEFED THESE ALTS [MSA AND MEA] PRIOR TO THE APCH). AS WE APCHED 3300', IT LOOKED AS THOUGH WE MIGHT GET ON TOP, SO I CONTINUED UP TO 4000' MSL AND DID GET ON TOP. MEANWHILE, THE COPLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT CHICAGO, AND I INITIATED A TURN TOWARDS THE MSN VOR. WHEN CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED, CHICAGO SAID IT WAS A GOOD THING THAT WE WENT TO 4000' MSL. WE WERE VECTORED TO THE 36 ILS AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. INCIDENTALLY, I DID LOOK AT THE HIGHEST OBSTRUCTION ON THE PLATE AND IT WAS A FACTOR IN MY DECISION TO CLB TO 4000' MSL. ALSO CHICAGO INDICATED SOME RADIO RECEPTION PROBS IN THAT AREA IN THE PAST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT CREW HAD BRIEFED ON MEA'S AND MSA'S PRIOR TO MAKING APCH. EVEN AS THEY XED THROUGH THE LOC THERE WAS STILL A FLAG. NOT UNTIL THE SEC APCH DID THE PROB CLR UP. RPTR SUSPECTS THAT MAYBE RAIN MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE LOC FLAG AND ATC COM PROB. AFTER THEY PULLED UP, A R TURN WAS STARTED AND RADIO CONTACT REESTABLISHED. THEY BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS ON FINAL APCH AT 500' AND CANCELLED IFR WITH THE CTR. RPTR SAID THAT THE RWY LIGHTS WERE ON DIM, BUT COULD NOT INCREASE THE INTENSITY. RPTR ALSO IS CRITICAL OF THE POOR QUALITY OF ATC RADIOS IN GENERAL.

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.

Air carrier on radar vector to ILS final lost radio contact with ATC and flew through the final approach course. Reporter climbed to get above the MSA.