AT43 crew found bro VORTAC off the air.

Attributes
ACN	480390
Time
Date	200007
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	480390
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility

Narrative:

En route from iah to bro, was given clearance of fly heading 210 degrees when able direct brownsville. I was given clearance in area of corpus christi VOR. As DME from bro reached approximately 50 DME, I had not received any azimuth or identify and asked center if bro was OTS. They replied that they showed the VOR ok and asked why I was off course. I told them about the lack of azimuth 0-10. They said that they had watched me go off course and wondered where I was going for a while and then gave me a heading back toward bro. Another aircraft confirmed bro not working when I switched to valley approach. I feel that I should have done a better job of confirming my own position through other navaids and that I should have observed a lack of azimuth farther out. I also feel that ATC should have asked earlier if they did indeed see me off course. Both the controller and I missed a situation that could have placed the aircraft in a hazardous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT43 CREW FOUND BRO VORTAC OFF THE AIR.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM IAH TO BRO, WAS GIVEN CLRNC OF FLY HDG 210 DEGS WHEN ABLE DIRECT BROWNSVILLE. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC IN AREA OF CORPUS CHRISTI VOR. AS DME FROM BRO REACHED APPROX 50 DME, I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY AZIMUTH OR IDENT AND ASKED CTR IF BRO WAS OTS. THEY REPLIED THAT THEY SHOWED THE VOR OK AND ASKED WHY I WAS OFF COURSE. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE LACK OF AZIMUTH 0-10. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD WATCHED ME GO OFF COURSE AND WONDERED WHERE I WAS GOING FOR A WHILE AND THEN GAVE ME A HDG BACK TOWARD BRO. ANOTHER ACFT CONFIRMED BRO NOT WORKING WHEN I SWITCHED TO VALLEY APCH. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF CONFIRMING MY OWN POS THROUGH OTHER NAVAIDS AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE OBSERVED A LACK OF AZIMUTH FARTHER OUT. I ALSO FEEL THAT ATC SHOULD HAVE ASKED EARLIER IF THEY DID INDEED SEE ME OFF COURSE. BOTH THE CTLR AND I MISSED A SIT THAT COULD HAVE PLACED THE ACFT IN A HAZARDOUS SIT.

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.