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A commuter captain reports that he was unable to establish contact with the approach controller on the assigned frequency. Clearance to intercept the ILS localizer had already been given, but not clearance for the approach. The flight crew continued the approach and contacted the ATCT local controller for a landing clearance. Later land line review with the TRACON revealed that several complaints have been received regarding the problematic frequency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 353409 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 235 flight time total : 11900 flight time type : 1750 |
| ASRS Report | 353409 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
Allentown approach handed us off to phl approach 126.85. When we checked in, phl approach told us to intercept runway 17 localizer which we did. As we got closer to phl the radio was quiet and the GS was coming down, so I asked phl if we were cleared for the approach but got no response. We tried several times with no success, so we called tower with our position and he cleared us to land. After we were on the ground I called the TRACON and talked to the supervisor who informed me they had several complaints about the frequency 126.85 and that the technician was working on it. This frequency has given phl approach trouble for many yrs. Maybe it's time they got rid of it!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A COMMUTER CAPT RPTS THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE APCH CTLR ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOC HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN, BUT NOT CLRNC FOR THE APCH. THE FLC CONTINUED THE APCH AND CONTACTED THE ATCT LCL CTLR FOR A LNDG CLRNC. LATER LAND LINE REVIEW WITH THE TRACON REVEALED THAT SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED REGARDING THE PROBLEMATIC FREQ.
Narrative: ALLENTOWN APCH HANDED US OFF TO PHL APCH 126.85. WHEN WE CHKED IN, PHL APCH TOLD US TO INTERCEPT RWY 17 LOC WHICH WE DID. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO PHL THE RADIO WAS QUIET AND THE GS WAS COMING DOWN, SO I ASKED PHL IF WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. WE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS, SO WE CALLED TWR WITH OUR POS AND HE CLRED US TO LAND. AFTER WE WERE ON THE GND I CALLED THE TRACON AND TALKED TO THE SUPVR WHO INFORMED ME THEY HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FREQ 126.85 AND THAT THE TECHNICIAN WAS WORKING ON IT. THIS FREQ HAS GIVEN PHL APCH TROUBLE FOR MANY YRS. MAYBE IT'S TIME THEY GOT RID OF IT!
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.