Narrative:

We were returning to logan/cache airport from a short trip when we were advised by center that the RNAV (GPS) runway 35 approach was NOTAM'ed as not authority/authorized. The WX was 3500 ft scattered with a broken ceiling about 4500 ft AGL. We were cleared to 12000 ft MSL direct to corin and asked what our intentions were. Since I could see the ground much of the time; I requested a contact approach. The ZLC controller said he couldn't authority/authorized that because there was no authority/authorized instrument approach into lgu. I believe he was correct. We spotted a big hole; so canceled IFR and landed VFR. I was really concerned. Why would the only approach into cache valley be not authority/authorized on a NOTAM? In researching this; I found that a local company that builds amusement rides had erected some towers about 5.8 mi sse of the runway. Someone from the FAA noticed the towers and checked and found FAA had not been advised of them. Also; he didn't know if they were in the protected space for an instrument approach. The response was to issue a NOTAM not authorizing the instrument approach until it could be investigated. I believe these towers are near 300 ft high; but well east of the extended centerline. I understand the concern of the FAA; but at the same time think the action was overkill and created more of a problem that it was trying to solve. In this area the MVA for ZLC is 12000 ft MSL. There are several peaks above 9000 ft MSL. The field elevation is 4457 ft. When clouds are obscuring the mountain tops; it is much safer to make a GPS penetration to get below the clouds and then cancel IFR and land VFR than to scud run to go through the mountain passes VFR below the clouds. I think it would have been much better to issue a NOTAM restricting the MDA on the GPS approach to a higher MDA until the tower issue is resolved. This NOTAM essentially shuts down the possibility of getting into the valley from a higher altitude. It has a very negative impact on all who operate jet aircraft into lgu. It had a financial impact on a struggling FBO who couldn't make a planned large fuel sell to a gulfstream because the gulfstream couldn't get in; although the airport was VFR. I don't know if this issue should be on a NASA report; but I do believe this is the type of thing that causes flight crews to disregard the rules; cancel IFR and scud run when they shouldn't. Sometimes FAA can make things more hazardous than they would be if left alone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C560 PLT RPTS THAT ALL INST APCHS TO LGA ARE DEACTIVATED POTENTIALLY FORCING PLTS INTO RISKY BEHAVIOR.

Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING TO LOGAN/CACHE ARPT FROM A SHORT TRIP WHEN WE WERE ADVISED BY CTR THAT THE RNAV (GPS) RWY 35 APCH WAS NOTAM'ED AS NOT AUTH. THE WX WAS 3500 FT SCATTERED WITH A BROKEN CEILING ABOUT 4500 FT AGL. WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT MSL DIRECT TO CORIN AND ASKED WHAT OUR INTENTIONS WERE. SINCE I COULD SEE THE GND MUCH OF THE TIME; I REQUESTED A CONTACT APCH. THE ZLC CTLR SAID HE COULDN'T AUTH THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO AUTH INST APCH INTO LGU. I BELIEVE HE WAS CORRECT. WE SPOTTED A BIG HOLE; SO CANCELED IFR AND LANDED VFR. I WAS REALLY CONCERNED. WHY WOULD THE ONLY APCH INTO CACHE VALLEY BE NOT AUTH ON A NOTAM? IN RESEARCHING THIS; I FOUND THAT A LCL COMPANY THAT BUILDS AMUSEMENT RIDES HAD ERECTED SOME TWRS ABOUT 5.8 MI SSE OF THE RWY. SOMEONE FROM THE FAA NOTICED THE TWRS AND CHKED AND FOUND FAA HAD NOT BEEN ADVISED OF THEM. ALSO; HE DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE IN THE PROTECTED SPACE FOR AN INST APCH. THE RESPONSE WAS TO ISSUE A NOTAM NOT AUTHORIZING THE INST APCH UNTIL IT COULD BE INVESTIGATED. I BELIEVE THESE TWRS ARE NEAR 300 FT HIGH; BUT WELL E OF THE EXTENDED CTRLINE. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN OF THE FAA; BUT AT THE SAME TIME THINK THE ACTION WAS OVERKILL AND CREATED MORE OF A PROB THAT IT WAS TRYING TO SOLVE. IN THIS AREA THE MVA FOR ZLC IS 12000 FT MSL. THERE ARE SEVERAL PEAKS ABOVE 9000 FT MSL. THE FIELD ELEVATION IS 4457 FT. WHEN CLOUDS ARE OBSCURING THE MOUNTAIN TOPS; IT IS MUCH SAFER TO MAKE A GPS PENETRATION TO GET BELOW THE CLOUDS AND THEN CANCEL IFR AND LAND VFR THAN TO SCUD RUN TO GO THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASSES VFR BELOW THE CLOUDS. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER TO ISSUE A NOTAM RESTRICTING THE MDA ON THE GPS APCH TO A HIGHER MDA UNTIL THE TWR ISSUE IS RESOLVED. THIS NOTAM ESSENTIALLY SHUTS DOWN THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING INTO THE VALLEY FROM A HIGHER ALT. IT HAS A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ALL WHO OPERATE JET ACFT INTO LGU. IT HAD A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON A STRUGGLING FBO WHO COULDN'T MAKE A PLANNED LARGE FUEL SELL TO A GULFSTREAM BECAUSE THE GULFSTREAM COULDN'T GET IN; ALTHOUGH THE ARPT WAS VFR. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ON A NASA RPT; BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT CAUSES FLT CREWS TO DISREGARD THE RULES; CANCEL IFR AND SCUD RUN WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T. SOMETIMES FAA CAN MAKE THINGS MORE HAZARDOUS THAN THEY WOULD BE IF LEFT ALONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.