Narrative:

Phx ATCT was so severely understaffed today; that facility employees were unable to maintain current information on runway closures; ATIS broadcasts; or turn on the correct ILS system. This caused a system disruption backing up into approach control airspace. As airplanes were cleared to wrong runways; aircraft on ILS clrncs could not receive any signal because the system was turned off; and caused pilots to question clrncs; because wrong information was being broadcast by ATIS for an extended period. This should not be occurring at the world's fifth busiest airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHX CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING STAFFING LEVEL CONTRIBUTING TO ILS BEING BROADCAST ON THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: PHX ATCT WAS SO SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED TODAY; THAT FACILITY EMPLOYEES WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CURRENT INFO ON RWY CLOSURES; ATIS BROADCASTS; OR TURN ON THE CORRECT ILS SYS. THIS CAUSED A SYS DISRUPTION BACKING UP INTO APCH CTL AIRSPACE. AS AIRPLANES WERE CLRED TO WRONG RWYS; ACFT ON ILS CLRNCS COULD NOT RECEIVE ANY SIGNAL BECAUSE THE SYS WAS TURNED OFF; AND CAUSED PLTS TO QUESTION CLRNCS; BECAUSE WRONG INFO WAS BEING BROADCAST BY ATIS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING AT THE WORLD'S FIFTH BUSIEST ARPT.

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.