Narrative:

On the VOR runway 9 approach into buy, there was an altitude discrepancy. After being cleared for the approach and told to maintain 2500 ft, I received the 093 degree radial from gso. Another radial that idents the orrim intersection was centered and I began a descent. Cleared for the approach and maintaining 2500 ft until established was voiced by approach and me. After descending approximately 500 ft (2000 ft MSL), the controller called saying she showed me off centerline and not at the orrim intersection (FAF). I replied that I was showing on centerline and past orrim. I stopped descending due to concern of my position. She suggested I try the approach again. After climbing out and setting up for the approach again she cleared me for the approach and 'maintain 2500 until established.' this time when I reached orrim I asked if she showed me on centerline and at orrim, before descending. She replied with left of course and some small distance north of orrim. I asked if I was still cleared for approach. She replied with, at your discretion. Continuing the approach, I broke out at 1250, found the airport slightly to my right, and landed. Mins are 1220. No mins were broken. The vors were checked and found to be within tolerance 2 days prior. My concern is that I was flying my instrument (which is what you are taught and the only thing you have to rely on in IMC) and the controller thought I had descended before I was supposed to. I tried to work with her and explain what I was indicating with my obs's. My student observed the needles and doublechked what I was seeing. He confirmed what I saw. I was not asked to contact the facility but I'm still concerned for the situation. Other pilots that I've spoken to have expressed their concerns for the inaccuracy of the approach. The facility is 20 mi and the plane is as low as 1220. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states his biggest concern was that he was in actual IMC and there is an 880 ft tower adjacent to approach route. Confident that his equipment was accurate as he had checked it on previous flight. Concerned that ground equipment may be out of tolerance. Down low and 24 mi distance from VOR creates a problem for good reception.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ON INST APCH HAS ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. GAR. SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. ALSO, BEGAN DSCNT PREMATURELY.

Narrative: ON THE VOR RWY 9 APCH INTO BUY, THERE WAS AN ALT DISCREPANCY. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT, I RECEIVED THE 093 DEG RADIAL FROM GSO. ANOTHER RADIAL THAT IDENTS THE ORRIM INTXN WAS CENTERED AND I BEGAN A DSCNT. CLRED FOR THE APCH AND MAINTAINING 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED WAS VOICED BY APCH AND ME. AFTER DSNDING APPROX 500 FT (2000 FT MSL), THE CTLR CALLED SAYING SHE SHOWED ME OFF CENTERLINE AND NOT AT THE ORRIM INTXN (FAF). I REPLIED THAT I WAS SHOWING ON CENTERLINE AND PAST ORRIM. I STOPPED DSNDING DUE TO CONCERN OF MY POS. SHE SUGGESTED I TRY THE APCH AGAIN. AFTER CLBING OUT AND SETTING UP FOR THE APCH AGAIN SHE CLRED ME FOR THE APCH AND 'MAINTAIN 2500 UNTIL ESTABLISHED.' THIS TIME WHEN I REACHED ORRIM I ASKED IF SHE SHOWED ME ON CENTERLINE AND AT ORRIM, BEFORE DSNDING. SHE REPLIED WITH L OF COURSE AND SOME SMALL DISTANCE N OF ORRIM. I ASKED IF I WAS STILL CLRED FOR APCH. SHE REPLIED WITH, AT YOUR DISCRETION. CONTINUING THE APCH, I BROKE OUT AT 1250, FOUND THE ARPT SLIGHTLY TO MY R, AND LANDED. MINS ARE 1220. NO MINS WERE BROKEN. THE VORS WERE CHKED AND FOUND TO BE WITHIN TOLERANCE 2 DAYS PRIOR. MY CONCERN IS THAT I WAS FLYING MY INST (WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE TAUGHT AND THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO RELY ON IN IMC) AND THE CTLR THOUGHT I HAD DSNDED BEFORE I WAS SUPPOSED TO. I TRIED TO WORK WITH HER AND EXPLAIN WHAT I WAS INDICATING WITH MY OBS'S. MY STUDENT OBSERVED THE NEEDLES AND DOUBLECHKED WHAT I WAS SEEING. HE CONFIRMED WHAT I SAW. I WAS NOT ASKED TO CONTACT THE FACILITY BUT I'M STILL CONCERNED FOR THE SITUATION. OTHER PLTS THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS FOR THE INACCURACY OF THE APCH. THE FACILITY IS 20 MI AND THE PLANE IS AS LOW AS 1220. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HIS BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THAT HE WAS IN ACTUAL IMC AND THERE IS AN 880 FT TWR ADJACENT TO APCH RTE. CONFIDENT THAT HIS EQUIP WAS ACCURATE AS HE HAD CHKED IT ON PREVIOUS FLT. CONCERNED THAT GND EQUIP MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE. DOWN LOW AND 24 MI DISTANCE FROM VOR CREATES A PROBLEM FOR GOOD RECEPTION.

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.