Narrative:

As of today, mar/xx/96, msy has no NOTAM that the back course (runway 19) localizer approach is OTS and is unavailable. The approach has been unavailable for 6 months now. In consulting the class ii NOTAMS, only the ILS runway 01 is notamed OTS! Today, we thought that we were on a vector to intercept the back course localizer runway 19 approach at msy. We were issued a 200 degree heading for vectors. I tuned and received an identify. The first officer was flying 'raw data' and I backed him up with FMC/FMS LNAV course guidance. As we approached the inbound course, I asked the controller if he wanted us to intercept the inbound course. He replied, 'negative, fly present heading' (no mention that back course localizer was OTS). Shortly, he asked if we had the airport in sight? We said yes and were cleared for the visual approach. After attempting to 'backup' electronically what we saw visually, I asked the controller if the localizer back course runway 19 was 'up' and 'available.' he then told us 'it' was radiating intermittently on a test basis, but had been OTS for 6 months now! I asked him why the back course localizer runway 19 approach was not notamed OTS? He replied the runway 01 localizer was notamed OTS, and that they shared the same frequency. I replied that runway 01 may have been unusable for any number of reasons, but that may not have necessarily affected runway 19! How were we to know? The NOTAMS should plainly refer to the specific instrument approach in question, and not rely on any 'implied' difficulty associated with another procedure! This is a potential accident/incident 'waiting to happen!' please help fix this problem. We landed safely, without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN MLG COMPLAINED THAT THE LOC BACK COURSE APCH NOT NOTAMED OTS EVEN THOUGH THE FRONT COURSE WAS!

Narrative: AS OF TODAY, MAR/XX/96, MSY HAS NO NOTAM THAT THE BACK COURSE (RWY 19) LOC APCH IS OTS AND IS UNAVAILABLE. THE APCH HAS BEEN UNAVAILABLE FOR 6 MONTHS NOW. IN CONSULTING THE CLASS II NOTAMS, ONLY THE ILS RWY 01 IS NOTAMED OTS! TODAY, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE ON A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE BACK COURSE LOC RWY 19 APCH AT MSY. WE WERE ISSUED A 200 DEG HDG FOR VECTORS. I TUNED AND RECEIVED AN IDENT. THE FO WAS FLYING 'RAW DATA' AND I BACKED HIM UP WITH FMC/FMS LNAV COURSE GUIDANCE. AS WE APCHED THE INBOUND COURSE, I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED US TO INTERCEPT THE INBOUND COURSE. HE REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE, FLY PRESENT HDG' (NO MENTION THAT BACK COURSE LOC WAS OTS). SHORTLY, HE ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT? WE SAID YES AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO 'BACKUP' ELECTRONICALLY WHAT WE SAW VISUALLY, I ASKED THE CTLR IF THE LOC BACK COURSE RWY 19 WAS 'UP' AND 'AVAILABLE.' HE THEN TOLD US 'IT' WAS RADIATING INTERMITTENTLY ON A TEST BASIS, BUT HAD BEEN OTS FOR 6 MONTHS NOW! I ASKED HIM WHY THE BACK COURSE LOC RWY 19 APCH WAS NOT NOTAMED OTS? HE REPLIED THE RWY 01 LOC WAS NOTAMED OTS, AND THAT THEY SHARED THE SAME FREQ. I REPLIED THAT RWY 01 MAY HAVE BEEN UNUSABLE FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT THAT MAY NOT HAVE NECESSARILY AFFECTED RWY 19! HOW WERE WE TO KNOW? THE NOTAMS SHOULD PLAINLY REFER TO THE SPECIFIC INST APCH IN QUESTION, AND NOT RELY ON ANY 'IMPLIED' DIFFICULTY ASSOCIATED WITH ANOTHER PROC! THIS IS A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT/INCIDENT 'WAITING TO HAPPEN!' PLEASE HELP FIX THIS PROB. WE LANDED SAFELY, WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.