PA28 pilot was not given VOR OTS when he checked NOTAMS.

Attributes
ACN	490573
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 5950 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	490573
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan and obtained a route briefing via duat before the flight. The routing I filed was Q08 (smoketown airport), lrp, har, ton, cip, fkl. In perusing the NOTAMS that downloaded, I noted several notices for the har VOR indicating directions and distances that it was unusable. However, I missed the NOTAM well down the list indicating that the VOR was OTS. After takeoff from Q08, I contacted harrisburg approach and obtained an IFR clearance that was essentially as I had filed. I tracked the 296 degree radial outbound from lrp towards the har VOR. However, as I approached the har VOR, it was obvious that it was off-the-air and approach confirmed it when I queried them. By that time, I was receiving the ton VOR and approach cleared me present position direct to ton. In the end, no damage was done, but it could have been different in a heavy IFR/traffic environment. I should have picked up the OTS NOTAM, but it would have been better if the old NOTAMS had been simply deleted and the 'OTS' NOTAM been put in their place. For ATC's part, they shouldn't have cleared me to the har VOR when they knew it was OTS and that I had filed /U for equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT WAS NOT GIVEN VOR OTS WHEN HE CHKED NOTAMS.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND OBTAINED A RTE BRIEFING VIA DUAT BEFORE THE FLT. THE ROUTING I FILED WAS Q08 (SMOKETOWN ARPT), LRP, HAR, TON, CIP, FKL. IN PERUSING THE NOTAMS THAT DOWNLOADED, I NOTED SEVERAL NOTICES FOR THE HAR VOR INDICATING DIRECTIONS AND DISTANCES THAT IT WAS UNUSABLE. HOWEVER, I MISSED THE NOTAM WELL DOWN THE LIST INDICATING THAT THE VOR WAS OTS. AFTER TKOF FROM Q08, I CONTACTED HARRISBURG APCH AND OBTAINED AN IFR CLRNC THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY AS I HAD FILED. I TRACKED THE 296 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND FROM LRP TOWARDS THE HAR VOR. HOWEVER, AS I APCHED THE HAR VOR, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS OFF-THE-AIR AND APCH CONFIRMED IT WHEN I QUERIED THEM. BY THAT TIME, I WAS RECEIVING THE TON VOR AND APCH CLRED ME PRESENT POS DIRECT TO TON. IN THE END, NO DAMAGE WAS DONE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IN A HVY IFR/TFC ENVIRONMENT. I SHOULD HAVE PICKED UP THE OTS NOTAM, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THE OLD NOTAMS HAD BEEN SIMPLY DELETED AND THE 'OTS' NOTAM BEEN PUT IN THEIR PLACE. FOR ATC'S PART, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE CLRED ME TO THE HAR VOR WHEN THEY KNEW IT WAS OTS AND THAT I HAD FILED /U FOR EQUIP.

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.