LR55 crew turning from one airway to another may have overshot and flown off the airway boundary.

Attributes
ACN	425384
Time
Date	199901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etc
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 55
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	425384
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Navigational Aid	Unspecified
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

To stay clear of restr areas, ATC told us to go direct to pears then V139 to intercept V189 to mqi (destination). As V189 came alive, we started turn east and ATC said we had already passed the airway -- both vors and distance from pears to V189 showed if we were north of course it could not have been more than 1 mi. ATC told us that wright brothers VOR (rbx) has been off the air for 2 yrs. When we landed at mqi the airport personnel said VOR has been off for 4 yrs. Our current en route charts showed rbx. The current VOR approach plate to mqi showed rbx. There were not any current NOTAMS and the VOR was transmitting since both HSI/VOR receivers showed normal. We checked chart NOTAMS after landing and found rbx may be off air. How can a VOR be off the air for 2-4 yrs and still show on all current en route and be on the current VOR approach plates?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LR55 CREW TURNING FROM ONE AIRWAY TO ANOTHER MAY HAVE OVERSHOT AND FLOWN OFF THE AIRWAY BOUNDARY.

Narrative: TO STAY CLR OF RESTR AREAS, ATC TOLD US TO GO DIRECT TO PEARS THEN V139 TO INTERCEPT V189 TO MQI (DEST). AS V189 CAME ALIVE, WE STARTED TURN E AND ATC SAID WE HAD ALREADY PASSED THE AIRWAY -- BOTH VORS AND DISTANCE FROM PEARS TO V189 SHOWED IF WE WERE N OF COURSE IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 1 MI. ATC TOLD US THAT WRIGHT BROTHERS VOR (RBX) HAS BEEN OFF THE AIR FOR 2 YRS. WHEN WE LANDED AT MQI THE ARPT PERSONNEL SAID VOR HAS BEEN OFF FOR 4 YRS. OUR CURRENT ENRTE CHARTS SHOWED RBX. THE CURRENT VOR APCH PLATE TO MQI SHOWED RBX. THERE WERE NOT ANY CURRENT NOTAMS AND THE VOR WAS XMITTING SINCE BOTH HSI/VOR RECEIVERS SHOWED NORMAL. WE CHKED CHART NOTAMS AFTER LNDG AND FOUND RBX MAY BE OFF AIR. HOW CAN A VOR BE OFF THE AIR FOR 2-4 YRS AND STILL SHOW ON ALL CURRENT ENRTE AND BE ON THE CURRENT VOR APCH PLATES?

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.