A B727 crew, on approach to bhm, continued to landing without the aid of the PAPI.

Attributes
ACN	527223
Time
Date	200110
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl single value : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bhm.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	527223
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We flew a localizer approach to runway 18 in bhm. It was conducted in day VMC with overcast clouds and gusty winds favoring runway 18. Our company procedures stipulate that for any approach to runway 18, the PAPI must be operational. We had no NOTAMS, ATIS or information from the tower to indicate it was not operating. We sighted the runway about 7-10 mi out and I started looking for the PAPI about 3 mi out. At about 1 mi and 300 ft, I still couldn't make out the PAPI, but we elected to continue and landed uneventfully. After landing, we asked the tower if the PAPI was operational. The controller stated they were not showing it OTS. The controller further said that they had no way of monitoring it except aircraft reports and that they would check it out. Recommendations: if a system such as this is required for certain operators, there should be a way for ATC to monitor its status. Report from other aircraft are not a satisfactory monitoring system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a 'bhm' tower specialist revealed that the operation of the precision approach path indicator lighting (PAPI), is monitored by the tower. Normal operation is indicated by a green light presentation while a failure in the system is indicated by a red light. If a failure does occur, pilots are advised verbally by the tower until the information can be included in the 'ATIS' information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW, ON APCH TO BHM, CONTINUED TO LNDG WITHOUT THE AID OF THE PAPI.

Narrative: WE FLEW A LOC APCH TO RWY 18 IN BHM. IT WAS CONDUCTED IN DAY VMC WITH OVCST CLOUDS AND GUSTY WINDS FAVORING RWY 18. OUR COMPANY PROCS STIPULATE THAT FOR ANY APCH TO RWY 18, THE PAPI MUST BE OPERATIONAL. WE HAD NO NOTAMS, ATIS OR INFO FROM THE TWR TO INDICATE IT WAS NOT OPERATING. WE SIGHTED THE RWY ABOUT 7-10 MI OUT AND I STARTED LOOKING FOR THE PAPI ABOUT 3 MI OUT. AT ABOUT 1 MI AND 300 FT, I STILL COULDN'T MAKE OUT THE PAPI, BUT WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER LNDG, WE ASKED THE TWR IF THE PAPI WAS OPERATIONAL. THE CTLR STATED THEY WERE NOT SHOWING IT OTS. THE CTLR FURTHER SAID THAT THEY HAD NO WAY OF MONITORING IT EXCEPT ACFT RPTS AND THAT THEY WOULD CHK IT OUT. RECOMMENDATIONS: IF A SYS SUCH AS THIS IS REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN OPERATORS, THERE SHOULD BE A WAY FOR ATC TO MONITOR ITS STATUS. RPT FROM OTHER ACFT ARE NOT A SATISFACTORY MONITORING SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A 'BHM' TWR SPECIALIST REVEALED THAT THE OP OF THE PRECISION APCH PATH INDICATOR LIGHTING (PAPI), IS MONITORED BY THE TWR. NORMAL OP IS INDICATED BY A GREEN LIGHT PRESENTATION WHILE A FAILURE IN THE SYS IS INDICATED BY A RED LIGHT. IF A FAILURE DOES OCCUR, PLTS ARE ADVISED VERBALLY BY THE TWR UNTIL THE INFO CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE 'ATIS' INFO.

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.