Narrative:

Received full preflight from ft worth FSS at XA00 on 3/fri/2002 for flight from addison, tx (ads) to alabaster, al (eet) including NOTAMS. Due to low WX, requested a holding pattern at the NDB near the alabaster airport. Birmingham approach advised that the NDB was inoperative. Unicom advised that the NDB had been inoperative for a long time. Today eet advised me that the NDB had been physically removed for over 2 yrs. Why are the approach charts still being printed showing the NDB still operational? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a 'kbhm' tower specialists revealed that the NDB 'calera' (aoa), has been out of service for a long time and is believed to be decommissioned. It was also revealed that due to the absence of 'aoa' not only is the NDB approach to runway 33 affected, but the GPS approach is affected as well, due to the NDB being included in the missed approach procedure. Supplemental information, it's been discovered, through further research, that the 'calera' NDB has, in fact, been physically removed from site. Apparently the removal and subsequent decommission of the facility has existed for sometime. It's status was reported to and is known by the FAA. In spite of it's nonexistence for a number of yrs, approach charts involving this facility are still being published and distributed. In the interest of safety, an effort to discontinue those publications should be undertaken!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 'SMA' PLT WHEN REQUESTING A HOLDING PATTERN AT THE NDB 'CALERA' (AOA), WAS TOLD THE NAVAID WAS INOPERATIVE.

Narrative: RECEIVED FULL PREFLT FROM FT WORTH FSS AT XA00 ON 3/FRI/2002 FOR FLT FROM ADDISON, TX (ADS) TO ALABASTER, AL (EET) INCLUDING NOTAMS. DUE TO LOW WX, REQUESTED A HOLDING PATTERN AT THE NDB NEAR THE ALABASTER ARPT. BIRMINGHAM APCH ADVISED THAT THE NDB WAS INOP. UNICOM ADVISED THAT THE NDB HAD BEEN INOP FOR A LONG TIME. TODAY EET ADVISED ME THAT THE NDB HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY REMOVED FOR OVER 2 YRS. WHY ARE THE APCH CHARTS STILL BEING PRINTED SHOWING THE NDB STILL OPERATIONAL? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A 'KBHM' TWR SPECIALISTS REVEALED THAT THE NDB 'CALERA' (AOA), HAS BEEN OUT OF SVC FOR A LONG TIME AND IS BELIEVED TO BE DECOMMISSIONED. IT WAS ALSO REVEALED THAT DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF 'AOA' NOT ONLY IS THE NDB APCH TO RWY 33 AFFECTED, BUT THE GPS APCH IS AFFECTED AS WELL, DUE TO THE NDB BEING INCLUDED IN THE MISSED APCH PROC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO, IT'S BEEN DISCOVERED, THROUGH FURTHER RESEARCH, THAT THE 'CALERA' NDB HAS, IN FACT, BEEN PHYSICALLY REMOVED FROM SITE. APPARENTLY THE REMOVAL AND SUBSEQUENT DECOMMISSION OF THE FACILITY HAS EXISTED FOR SOMETIME. IT'S STATUS WAS RPTED TO AND IS KNOWN BY THE FAA. IN SPITE OF IT'S NONEXISTENCE FOR A NUMBER OF YRS, APCH CHARTS INVOLVING THIS FACILITY ARE STILL BEING PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, AN EFFORT TO DISCONTINUE THOSE PUBLICATIONS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN!

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.