Faulty NOTAM distribution leads to an illegal approach.

Attributes
ACN	272759
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : snp
State Reference	AK
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan tower : pae
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	272759
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After departure from snp ATC advised me that we had both made a mistake. They had cleared us for, and we had executed and landed from, the localizer approach to runway 36. The problem was that there was an fdc NOTAM in effect for snp that made the localizer back course unusable. This also made the front course localizer approach. Illegal because the missed approach is based on the back course. I advised ATC that I had noticed that particular NOTAM several days earlier, but it was not included in the NOTAMS for this day. I had assumed that the back course was back in service. It turns out that we did not receive fdc NOTAMS on this day. When I returned to anc, I notified our chief dispatcher of this problem, and he said he would check it out. When I reported to dispatch this morning, it was the same thing. The flight paperwork contained the usual NOTAMS for snp, but nothing about the back course. After departure from anc I called kenai FSS and requested the current fdc NOTAMS for snp. They reported the localizer back course was unusable. I then called dispatch and reported this anomaly. The dispatcher did some checking and found the missing NOTAMS and read them to me. Why don't we get these NOTAMS before we leave?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAULTY NOTAM DISTRIBUTION LEADS TO AN ILLEGAL APCH.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM SNP ATC ADVISED ME THAT WE HAD BOTH MADE A MISTAKE. THEY HAD CLRED US FOR, AND WE HAD EXECUTED AND LANDED FROM, THE LOC APCH TO RWY 36. THE PROB WAS THAT THERE WAS AN FDC NOTAM IN EFFECT FOR SNP THAT MADE THE LOC BACK COURSE UNUSABLE. THIS ALSO MADE THE FRONT COURSE LOC APCH. ILLEGAL BECAUSE THE MISSED APCH IS BASED ON THE BACK COURSE. I ADVISED ATC THAT I HAD NOTICED THAT PARTICULAR NOTAM SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER, BUT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NOTAMS FOR THIS DAY. I HAD ASSUMED THAT THE BACK COURSE WAS BACK IN SVC. IT TURNS OUT THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE FDC NOTAMS ON THIS DAY. WHEN I RETURNED TO ANC, I NOTIFIED OUR CHIEF DISPATCHER OF THIS PROB, AND HE SAID HE WOULD CHK IT OUT. WHEN I RPTED TO DISPATCH THIS MORNING, IT WAS THE SAME THING. THE FLT PAPERWORK CONTAINED THE USUAL NOTAMS FOR SNP, BUT NOTHING ABOUT THE BACK COURSE. AFTER DEP FROM ANC I CALLED KENAI FSS AND REQUESTED THE CURRENT FDC NOTAMS FOR SNP. THEY RPTED THE LOC BACK COURSE WAS UNUSABLE. I THEN CALLED DISPATCH AND RPTED THIS ANOMALY. THE DISPATCHER DID SOME CHKING AND FOUND THE MISSING NOTAMS AND READ THEM TO ME. WHY DON'T WE GET THESE NOTAMS BEFORE WE LEAVE?

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.