NAVAID problem policy.

Attributes
ACN	266327
Time
Date	199403
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clb
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ilg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zjx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	266327
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Flight was a regularly scheduled flight from lga to fll. Proceeding out over the atlantic, navigating on the NDB, I noticed what appeared to be a discrepancy in the picture presented by looking out the window and what the tail of the ADF needle showed. ATC gave a heading to re-intercept ar- 1, and when we were reported to be on course, the tail of the ADF needle was fully 20 degrees off, showing us to be well to the west of the airway. I wrote the discrepancy of the ADF up in the aircraft logbook as a malfunction. We then noticed that ATC was giving all non-FMC-equipped aircraft vectors to stay on the centerline of ar-1. When I questioned ATC about the situation, the controller said that the low frequency beacons were 'unreliable.' the wind was westerly at 100 KTS plus. I believe that, had we had only the NDB's to navigation by, ie, center radar failure, we probably would have passed east of the bahamas. This was not a route I fly regularly and I wonder if it is a common practice by ATC to use vectors to keep non-romeo equipped aircraft on the center of the atlantic rtes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAVAID PROB POLICY.

Narrative: FLT WAS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED FLT FROM LGA TO FLL. PROCEEDING OUT OVER THE ATLANTIC, NAVING ON THE NDB, I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A DISCREPANCY IN THE PICTURE PRESENTED BY LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND WHAT THE TAIL OF THE ADF NEEDLE SHOWED. ATC GAVE A HDG TO RE-INTERCEPT AR- 1, AND WHEN WE WERE RPTED TO BE ON COURSE, THE TAIL OF THE ADF NEEDLE WAS FULLY 20 DEGS OFF, SHOWING US TO BE WELL TO THE W OF THE AIRWAY. I WROTE THE DISCREPANCY OF THE ADF UP IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK AS A MALFUNCTION. WE THEN NOTICED THAT ATC WAS GIVING ALL NON-FMC-EQUIPPED ACFT VECTORS TO STAY ON THE CTRLINE OF AR-1. WHEN I QUESTIONED ATC ABOUT THE SIT, THE CTLR SAID THAT THE LOW FREQ BEACONS WERE 'UNRELIABLE.' THE WIND WAS WESTERLY AT 100 KTS PLUS. I BELIEVE THAT, HAD WE HAD ONLY THE NDB'S TO NAV BY, IE, CTR RADAR FAILURE, WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PASSED E OF THE BAHAMAS. THIS WAS NOT A RTE I FLY REGULARLY AND I WONDER IF IT IS A COMMON PRACTICE BY ATC TO USE VECTORS TO KEEP NON-ROMEO EQUIPPED ACFT ON THE CTR OF THE ATLANTIC RTES.

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.