Narrative:

We were cleared for the ILS runway 11 at ewr with the GS unusable. We asked the controller to call jeeno (the FAF for the localizer portion of this approach) so we can commence our descent. The controller insisted that jeeno can be idented from the teb 240 degree radial. He sounded quite irritated when we asked him to call jeeno a second time. Again he stated we can identify the fix from teb. By this time the runway was well in sight and the captain told me that we were inside jeeno thus I began the descent to the MDA. Upon reaching the MDA, the controller jumps on the radio with low altitude alerts and repeatedly said that we were still 1/2 mi outside the fix, 'climb to 1500 ft. You are still 1/4 mi from jeeno, you should be at 1500 ft.' the controller anxiously repeated. By this time the captain called the field insight and the controller angrily cleared us for the visual. We were in VMC conditions the entire time and there was no danger. I feel the problem came to play when the controller misunderstood the approach. ILS runway 11 at ewr is a radar required approach and jeeno is a radar fix. The controller must have forgotten that fact, even though the teb 240 degree idents jeeno, the VOR radial is not official but he insisted it was. The flight concluded without any other problems. One more thing, while taxiing to the gate the ground controller asked us if we were told that GS was unusable, and we replied yes, several times that's why we flew the approach as a localizer only non precision approach. Nothing further transpired.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DHC8 FLC PERFORMS AN EARLY DSCNT OUTSIDE OF THE JEENO INTXN DURING A LOC APCH TO RWY 11 AT EWR, NJ.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 11 AT EWR WITH THE GS UNUSABLE. WE ASKED THE CTLR TO CALL JEENO (THE FAF FOR THE LOC PORTION OF THIS APCH) SO WE CAN COMMENCE OUR DSCNT. THE CTLR INSISTED THAT JEENO CAN BE IDENTED FROM THE TEB 240 DEG RADIAL. HE SOUNDED QUITE IRRITATED WHEN WE ASKED HIM TO CALL JEENO A SECOND TIME. AGAIN HE STATED WE CAN IDENT THE FIX FROM TEB. BY THIS TIME THE RWY WAS WELL IN SIGHT AND THE CAPT TOLD ME THAT WE WERE INSIDE JEENO THUS I BEGAN THE DSCNT TO THE MDA. UPON REACHING THE MDA, THE CTLR JUMPS ON THE RADIO WITH LOW ALT ALERTS AND REPEATEDLY SAID THAT WE WERE STILL 1/2 MI OUTSIDE THE FIX, 'CLB TO 1500 FT. YOU ARE STILL 1/4 MI FROM JEENO, YOU SHOULD BE AT 1500 FT.' THE CTLR ANXIOUSLY REPEATED. BY THIS TIME THE CAPT CALLED THE FIELD INSIGHT AND THE CTLR ANGRILY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL. WE WERE IN VMC CONDITIONS THE ENTIRE TIME AND THERE WAS NO DANGER. I FEEL THE PROB CAME TO PLAY WHEN THE CTLR MISUNDERSTOOD THE APCH. ILS RWY 11 AT EWR IS A RADAR REQUIRED APCH AND JEENO IS A RADAR FIX. THE CTLR MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT FACT, EVEN THOUGH THE TEB 240 DEG IDENTS JEENO, THE VOR RADIAL IS NOT OFFICIAL BUT HE INSISTED IT WAS. THE FLT CONCLUDED WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBS. ONE MORE THING, WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE THE GND CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE TOLD THAT GS WAS UNUSABLE, AND WE REPLIED YES, SEVERAL TIMES THAT'S WHY WE FLEW THE APCH AS A LOC ONLY NON PRECISION APCH. NOTHING FURTHER TRANSPIRED.

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.