Pilot of a mooney 20C on an ILS approach using ADF to execute the procedure turn has ADF malfunction...

Attributes
ACN	406629
Time
Date	199806
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orh
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 B/C Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 476
ASRS Report	406629
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ADF malfunction prior to/during procedure turn to commence ILS runway 29 approach into orh -- ended up 3 mi off course. Would have declared missed approach if a convenient break in clouds hadn't appeared, allowing cancellation and VFR descent. Bdl approach realized I was off course at the same moment I figured it out. Radar coverage is lousy and should be improved. The ADF problem wasn't the beginning of the story. Chain of events: I haven't shot this approach in a long time. Planned to use GPS to set up the procedure turn. The GPS database, as it turned out, doesn't know the beacon by its 'NDB' name (ek). When I dialed it up, I got a silly range and bearing (+/-800 NM). So, I switched to plan B, use the ADF to execute the procedure turn. Tuned, idented and tested the ADF -- looked ok. At station passage (or what I thought was station passage), turned pt outbound, then inbound. The ILS GS flag was in view -- obviously something was totally whacked. Pressing 'test' on the ADF failed to make the needle spin. Sometime between the initial tune-in/test and the point where I started my procedure turn, the ADF died. Given a certified GPS, I don't often use the ADF. What a lousy time to discover it wasn't working right. Thankfully, there's not much to hit at 4000 ft in this neighborhood, otherwise this report might not have been filed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the problem was with his ADF equipment which is very old and 'needs a brain transplant.' his avionics person told him to use it to listen to the ball game, not for navigation. Reporter was trying to use the ADF as backup and monitoring, but soon knew there was a problem with it when GPS was unusable. There is a problem with bradley radar in the area and pilots are required to use a complete approach procedure if there is any WX involved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A MOONEY 20C ON AN ILS APCH USING ADF TO EXECUTE THE PROC TURN HAS ADF MALFUNCTION. 3 MI OFF COURSE BOTH HE AND THE APCH CTLR RECOGNIZED A PROB.

Narrative: ADF MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO/DURING PROC TURN TO COMMENCE ILS RWY 29 APCH INTO ORH -- ENDED UP 3 MI OFF COURSE. WOULD HAVE DECLARED MISSED APCH IF A CONVENIENT BREAK IN CLOUDS HADN'T APPEARED, ALLOWING CANCELLATION AND VFR DSCNT. BDL APCH REALIZED I WAS OFF COURSE AT THE SAME MOMENT I FIGURED IT OUT. RADAR COVERAGE IS LOUSY AND SHOULD BE IMPROVED. THE ADF PROB WASN'T THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY. CHAIN OF EVENTS: I HAVEN'T SHOT THIS APCH IN A LONG TIME. PLANNED TO USE GPS TO SET UP THE PROC TURN. THE GPS DATABASE, AS IT TURNED OUT, DOESN'T KNOW THE BEACON BY ITS 'NDB' NAME (EK). WHEN I DIALED IT UP, I GOT A SILLY RANGE AND BEARING (+/-800 NM). SO, I SWITCHED TO PLAN B, USE THE ADF TO EXECUTE THE PROC TURN. TUNED, IDENTED AND TESTED THE ADF -- LOOKED OK. AT STATION PASSAGE (OR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS STATION PASSAGE), TURNED PT OUTBOUND, THEN INBOUND. THE ILS GS FLAG WAS IN VIEW -- OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WAS TOTALLY WHACKED. PRESSING 'TEST' ON THE ADF FAILED TO MAKE THE NEEDLE SPIN. SOMETIME BTWN THE INITIAL TUNE-IN/TEST AND THE POINT WHERE I STARTED MY PROC TURN, THE ADF DIED. GIVEN A CERTIFIED GPS, I DON'T OFTEN USE THE ADF. WHAT A LOUSY TIME TO DISCOVER IT WASN'T WORKING RIGHT. THANKFULLY, THERE'S NOT MUCH TO HIT AT 4000 FT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, OTHERWISE THIS RPT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN FILED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE PROB WAS WITH HIS ADF EQUIP WHICH IS VERY OLD AND 'NEEDS A BRAIN TRANSPLANT.' HIS AVIONICS PERSON TOLD HIM TO USE IT TO LISTEN TO THE BALL GAME, NOT FOR NAV. RPTR WAS TRYING TO USE THE ADF AS BACKUP AND MONITORING, BUT SOON KNEW THERE WAS A PROB WITH IT WHEN GPS WAS UNUSABLE. THERE IS A PROB WITH BRADLEY RADAR IN THE AREA AND PLTS ARE REQUIRED TO USE A COMPLETE APCH PROC IF THERE IS ANY WX INVOLVED.

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.

Pilot of a mooney 20C on an ILS approach using ADF to execute the procedure turn has ADF malfunction. 3 mi off course both he and the approach controller recognized a problem.