Narrative:

Scheduled part 121 flight from spn (saipan) to manila, pi (mnl). WX at the time was reported 1 KM to 1 1/2 KM in heavy rains due to WX bands associated with typhoon koyrin. Communications difficult at best due to poor equipment and controller's heavy accent. Upon initial descent, ATIS very weak and WX at mins. ATIS information never specified approach in use or if any part of any approach system was not in service. Approach controller stated 'approach to runway 24 in use.' we (all 3 pilots) briefed the ILS 24 approach (at this time several aircraft went missed approach). Proper frequencys were set (localizer) but not idented. I stated several times the ILS frequency is not identing. This, sad to say, is not unusual in manila due to very poor ground equipment. The approach controller vectored us on the intercept heading and then cleared us for the 'runway 24 approach.' the captain (PF) captured the localizer and GS and began to let down. At minimums, airport was not in sight so a missed approach was executed. To our dismay, the omega read 7 mi from the airport. We were 7 mi northeast of the airport at 400 ft! The ILS DME portion was not functioning, nor the GS function properly. We then were vectored once again and on the intercept heading. The approach controller then stated, you are cleared for 'VOR DME 24 approach' which we then executed to a landing. During the ILS approach we never had any warning flag in view or other indication (other than no identify) of any abnormalities. Supplemental information from acn 244849: very heavy rain and static on approach control frequency made communications difficult, along with the accent of the controller. The controller never said a word during this entire approach, but asked us to call him when we blocked in. He wanted to know why we were at 500 ft, 7 mi from touchdown. (I would have liked for him to inform us when he noted us deviating from prescribed GS altitudes.) factors contributing to this problem include a NOTAM on the mnl VOR which reads 'runway 24 ILS available on test basis due to works in front of llz antenna.' I feel that the ATIS should have indicated the approach in use, as well as the status of the ILS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT FLEW A FALSE GS DOWN TO A SAFE GAR. THERE WAS NO IDENT ON THE ILS.

Narrative: SCHEDULED PART 121 FLT FROM SPN (SAIPAN) TO MANILA, PI (MNL). WX AT THE TIME WAS RPTED 1 KM TO 1 1/2 KM IN HVY RAINS DUE TO WX BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH TYPHOON KOYRIN. COMS DIFFICULT AT BEST DUE TO POOR EQUIP AND CTLR'S HVY ACCENT. UPON INITIAL DSCNT, ATIS VERY WEAK AND WX AT MINS. ATIS INFO NEVER SPECIFIED APCH IN USE OR IF ANY PART OF ANY APCH SYS WAS NOT IN SVC. APCH CTLR STATED 'APCH TO RWY 24 IN USE.' WE (ALL 3 PLTS) BRIEFED THE ILS 24 APCH (AT THIS TIME SEVERAL ACFT WENT MISSED APCH). PROPER FREQS WERE SET (LOC) BUT NOT IDENTED. I STATED SEVERAL TIMES THE ILS FREQ IS NOT IDENTING. THIS, SAD TO SAY, IS NOT UNUSUAL IN MANILA DUE TO VERY POOR GND EQUIP. THE APCH CTLR VECTORED US ON THE INTERCEPT HDG AND THEN CLRED US FOR THE 'RWY 24 APCH.' THE CAPT (PF) CAPTURED THE LOC AND GS AND BEGAN TO LET DOWN. AT MINIMUMS, ARPT WAS NOT IN SIGHT SO A MISSED APCH WAS EXECUTED. TO OUR DISMAY, THE OMEGA READ 7 MI FROM THE ARPT. WE WERE 7 MI NE OF THE ARPT AT 400 FT! THE ILS DME PORTION WAS NOT FUNCTIONING, NOR THE GS FUNCTION PROPERLY. WE THEN WERE VECTORED ONCE AGAIN AND ON THE INTERCEPT HDG. THE APCH CTLR THEN STATED, YOU ARE CLRED FOR 'VOR DME 24 APCH' WHICH WE THEN EXECUTED TO A LNDG. DURING THE ILS APCH WE NEVER HAD ANY WARNING FLAG IN VIEW OR OTHER INDICATION (OTHER THAN NO IDENT) OF ANY ABNORMALITIES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 244849: VERY HVY RAIN AND STATIC ON APCH CTL FREQ MADE COMS DIFFICULT, ALONG WITH THE ACCENT OF THE CTLR. THE CTLR NEVER SAID A WORD DURING THIS ENTIRE APCH, BUT ASKED US TO CALL HIM WHEN WE BLOCKED IN. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE WERE AT 500 FT, 7 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN. (I WOULD HAVE LIKED FOR HIM TO INFORM US WHEN HE NOTED US DEVIATING FROM PRESCRIBED GS ALTS.) FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROB INCLUDE A NOTAM ON THE MNL VOR WHICH READS 'RWY 24 ILS AVAILABLE ON TEST BASIS DUE TO WORKS IN FRONT OF LLZ ANTENNA.' I FEEL THAT THE ATIS SHOULD HAVE INDICATED THE APCH IN USE, AS WELL AS THE STATUS OF THE ILS.

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.