B727 aircraft on NDB approach with 600 ft ceiling, had erratic NDB readings and wasn't in position t...

Attributes
ACN	365979
Time
Date	199704
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bro
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bro
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	365979
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On flight from day-bro, on arrival, WX was reported at 4v6 overcast 6BR. ILS runway 13R was notamed OTS and the local ATIS also confirmed this. I was being vectored for the NDB approach to runway 13R, but even at 15 mi from the station we had trouble picking up a clear identify. The needles did point in the general direction, but they were wavering. At approximately 6 mi from the marker on a 160 degree heading, I was cleared for the approach. As I passed over the station, both needles swung to my left but they were split. After station passage I held what I had. Then I 'dragged the tail' of the needle to what I thought would hold the course, however, it became very erratic. I did break out at approximately 600 ft to the right of the runway, but not in a position to land on runway 13R. As the wind was light and variable and the runway in sight, I elected to land on runway 31L with no further problems. The reason I am reporting this flight is that I am not in the habit of making low airport patterns with a B727 and I question the reliability of this particular NDB approach. I also mentioned this to the local airport management.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 ACFT ON NDB APCH WITH 600 FT CEILING, HAD ERRATIC NDB READINGS AND WASN'T IN POS TO LAND ON INTENDED RWY. FLC LANDED ON RECIPROCAL RWY.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM DAY-BRO, ON ARR, WX WAS RPTED AT 4V6 OVCST 6BR. ILS RWY 13R WAS NOTAMED OTS AND THE LCL ATIS ALSO CONFIRMED THIS. I WAS BEING VECTORED FOR THE NDB APCH TO RWY 13R, BUT EVEN AT 15 MI FROM THE STATION WE HAD TROUBLE PICKING UP A CLR IDENT. THE NEEDLES DID POINT IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION, BUT THEY WERE WAVERING. AT APPROX 6 MI FROM THE MARKER ON A 160 DEG HDG, I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH. AS I PASSED OVER THE STATION, BOTH NEEDLES SWUNG TO MY L BUT THEY WERE SPLIT. AFTER STATION PASSAGE I HELD WHAT I HAD. THEN I 'DRAGGED THE TAIL' OF THE NEEDLE TO WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HOLD THE COURSE, HOWEVER, IT BECAME VERY ERRATIC. I DID BREAK OUT AT APPROX 600 FT TO THE R OF THE RWY, BUT NOT IN A POS TO LAND ON RWY 13R. AS THE WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE AND THE RWY IN SIGHT, I ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 31L WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. THE REASON I AM RPTING THIS FLT IS THAT I AM NOT IN THE HABIT OF MAKING LOW ARPT PATTERNS WITH A B727 AND I QUESTION THE RELIABILITY OF THIS PARTICULAR NDB APCH. I ALSO MENTIONED THIS TO THE LCL ARPT MGMNT.

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.

B727 aircraft on NDB approach with 600 ft ceiling, had erratic NDB readings and wasn't in position to land on intended runway. Flight crew landed on reciprocal runway.