Narrative:

Prior to descent we were told to go to pty radio for the pty WX. Did same; came back to center and were told descend to FL240 and 'expect runway right.' descent; handoff to approach control and radar vectors to final approach went as usual for pty. On our last turn to intercept we were cleared 'left turn 060 degrees; given a lower altitude I can't remember; and told to incept final; cleared for the runway 3R approach.' WX was all around but we were VFR over the water between tbg and the field. Field and runway 3R was in sight. All along the first officer was attempting to identify the runway 3R ILS with no luck. Turned to 060 degrees; descended and armed the localizer. Crossing the extended centerline of runway 3R about 5-6 mi out I knew something was not right. We reverted to a visual approach and told the tower we had no localizer identify on runway 3R. Tower stated it was notamed OTS. Landing was normal; went to the gate and called tower. We had just been cleared for an approach which did not exist. GS worked but there was no course guidance. I told the tower controller the same. He referred me to the approach control supervisor. This am I spoke to approach control supervisor. I explained all of the above. He is going to pull and review the tapes to make sure of the exact dialog between pilot and controller. I told him I was sure the controller cleared us the ILS runway 3R. Approach in use was the NDB runway 3R. He is also going to put out a message to controllers to ensure the proper approach is verbalized upon initial change over to approach. There was no NOTAM or chart NOTAM on runway 3R at pty; there is no ATIS. It is up to the controller to tell the pilots what to expect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 PLT RPTS THAT WHILE THE PTY ILS RWY 3R WAS OTS; THERE WAS NO NOTAM OR ATIS AND THE CTLR CLRED THE FLT FOR THE ILS RWY 3R.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DSCNT WE WERE TOLD TO GO TO PTY RADIO FOR THE PTY WX. DID SAME; CAME BACK TO CTR AND WERE TOLD DSND TO FL240 AND 'EXPECT RWY R.' DSCNT; HDOF TO APCH CTL AND RADAR VECTORS TO FINAL APCH WENT AS USUAL FOR PTY. ON OUR LAST TURN TO INTERCEPT WE WERE CLRED 'L TURN 060 DEGS; GIVEN A LOWER ALT I CAN'T REMEMBER; AND TOLD TO INCEPT FINAL; CLRED FOR THE RWY 3R APCH.' WX WAS ALL AROUND BUT WE WERE VFR OVER THE WATER BTWN TBG AND THE FIELD. FIELD AND RWY 3R WAS IN SIGHT. ALL ALONG THE FO WAS ATTEMPTING TO IDENT THE RWY 3R ILS WITH NO LUCK. TURNED TO 060 DEGS; DSNDED AND ARMED THE LOC. XING THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 3R ABOUT 5-6 MI OUT I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. WE REVERTED TO A VISUAL APCH AND TOLD THE TWR WE HAD NO LOC IDENT ON RWY 3R. TWR STATED IT WAS NOTAMED OTS. LNDG WAS NORMAL; WENT TO THE GATE AND CALLED TWR. WE HAD JUST BEEN CLRED FOR AN APCH WHICH DID NOT EXIST. GS WORKED BUT THERE WAS NO COURSE GUIDANCE. I TOLD THE TWR CTLR THE SAME. HE REFERRED ME TO THE APCH CTL SUPVR. THIS AM I SPOKE TO APCH CTL SUPVR. I EXPLAINED ALL OF THE ABOVE. HE IS GOING TO PULL AND REVIEW THE TAPES TO MAKE SURE OF THE EXACT DIALOG BTWN PLT AND CTLR. I TOLD HIM I WAS SURE THE CTLR CLRED US THE ILS RWY 3R. APCH IN USE WAS THE NDB RWY 3R. HE IS ALSO GOING TO PUT OUT A MESSAGE TO CTLRS TO ENSURE THE PROPER APCH IS VERBALIZED UPON INITIAL CHANGE OVER TO APCH. THERE WAS NO NOTAM OR CHART NOTAM ON RWY 3R AT PTY; THERE IS NO ATIS. IT IS UP TO THE CTLR TO TELL THE PLTS WHAT TO EXPECT.

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.