Narrative:

Some months ago I reported the deficiency of flight data center NOTAMS not showing up in FSS briefings and on a lifeguard flight, very nearly caused a serious complication for a patient pick up at columbia, ca. By relying on a supposedly not-notamed NDB approach (it was in the airport facility directory -- very fine print). The NDB was listed on both the en route and approach charts, and still is, even though the NAVAID was physically removed some yrs ago. What are they waiting for, a fatality? Please have the columbia NDB removed from all charts before someone does something stupid like me, like relying on them and a 'clear' NOTAMS briefing, although it is mentioned obscurely in the airport facility directory. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter pilot was concerned about the NDB being physically removed yet there were still airport procedures using the NDB -- an NDB approach and IFR departure procedure predicated on the NDB. Reporter was on a medical emergency flight to pick up a seriously ill person and, had the WX been worse, he would not have known about the NDB OTS and the patient would have been considerably delayed in receiving medical attention. Reporter had spoken with the local FSS and FSDO and apparently the FSDO took action and at present there are no procedures published utilizing the now non existent NDB. Reporter suggested a heads up about the potential of similar facilities being OTS or runway closures that are not listed as current NOTAMS. He agreed to discuss the matter with the callback editor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C421 ACFT ON LIFEGUARD MISSION, PLT WAS EXPECTING TO MAKE AN NDB APCH AND THE NDB WAS OTS BUT NOT NOTAMED. A NOTE IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY SHOWED NDB OTS INDEFINITELY, BUT RPTR HADN'T SEEN THE NOTE. BEING ON AN EMER MEDICAL FLT RPTR HAD TO MAKE IT TO THE ARPT BY OTHER NAV MEANS. HE SAYS THE FACT THAT THE NDB HAS BEEN PHYSICALLY REMOVED, BUT CHARTS STILL INDICATE IT'S AVAILABLE IS A TRAP.

Narrative: SOME MONTHS AGO I RPTED THE DEFICIENCY OF FLT DATA CTR NOTAMS NOT SHOWING UP IN FSS BRIEFINGS AND ON A LIFEGUARD FLT, VERY NEARLY CAUSED A SERIOUS COMPLICATION FOR A PATIENT PICK UP AT COLUMBIA, CA. BY RELYING ON A SUPPOSEDLY NOT-NOTAMED NDB APCH (IT WAS IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY -- VERY FINE PRINT). THE NDB WAS LISTED ON BOTH THE ENRTE AND APCH CHARTS, AND STILL IS, EVEN THOUGH THE NAVAID WAS PHYSICALLY REMOVED SOME YRS AGO. WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR, A FATALITY? PLEASE HAVE THE COLUMBIA NDB REMOVED FROM ALL CHARTS BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING STUPID LIKE ME, LIKE RELYING ON THEM AND A 'CLR' NOTAMS BRIEFING, ALTHOUGH IT IS MENTIONED OBSCURELY IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR PLT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NDB BEING PHYSICALLY REMOVED YET THERE WERE STILL ARPT PROCS USING THE NDB -- AN NDB APCH AND IFR DEP PROC PREDICATED ON THE NDB. RPTR WAS ON A MEDICAL EMER FLT TO PICK UP A SERIOUSLY ILL PERSON AND, HAD THE WX BEEN WORSE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE NDB OTS AND THE PATIENT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLY DELAYED IN RECEIVING MEDICAL ATTN. RPTR HAD SPOKEN WITH THE LCL FSS AND FSDO AND APPARENTLY THE FSDO TOOK ACTION AND AT PRESENT THERE ARE NO PROCS PUBLISHED UTILIZING THE NOW NON EXISTENT NDB. RPTR SUGGESTED A HEADS UP ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF SIMILAR FACILITIES BEING OTS OR RWY CLOSURES THAT ARE NOT LISTED AS CURRENT NOTAMS. HE AGREED TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH THE CALLBACK EDITOR.

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.