Narrative:

This is the second time in less than 30 days that the localizer to runway 15 at sbgl has failed during the final approach. During this event we were descending from 4500 ft to 2000 ft on the ILS runway 3 to runway 15 at sbgl when the localizer failed. There was no 'off flag' and the aircraft was tracking the localizer inbound. ATC asked if we were receiving the ILS and when I selected the expanded ILS mode; there was no runway indicated and I told him so. He immediately cleared us to 'fly a VOR/ADF approach to the same runway and report the runway in sight.' since I had the VOR and ADF tuned as a back up I immediately started to brief the first officer who was flying the aircraft. When I selected the NAVAID for the approach and entered the change to the CDU the expanded VOR indicated we were very close to the VOR and the centerline was fully deflected to the right. This is a complicated airport with terrain to 9500 ft within 25 miles of the station and the reported ceiling of haze and thin clouds (it was overcast) was right at the minimums (700 ft). We all agreed that an immediate go around was prudent and the approach controller told us to go around a few seconds later. In retrospect; when the controller first changed our approach clearance we should have immediately gone around and not attempted to salvage an approach and landing. Everything was happening very quickly with a slam dunk approach to 2000 ft; gear and landing flaps being called for; and altimeters to be reset (below 5500 ft). The missed approach and subsequent ILS approach and landing on runway 10 were uneventful. I fly sequences to sbgl; almost exclusively; and there always seems to be problems with navaids; taxiway or runway closures poorly marked; glideslopes OTS without it being referenced in the ATIS or on our airport charts. Incidentally; if you ask the controller if the glideslope is working they don't understand what you are asking. It can take a concerted effort to communicate with the controllers and we sometimes rely on other airline crews to translate for us. I am concerned about the equipment failures at sbgl and proper notification of those failures to flight crews in a timely fashion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300ER EXECUTED A GO AROUND ON THE SBGL RWY 15 ILS 3 FOLLOWING THE GLIDESLOPE FAILURE. THE CREW CLAIMS THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SITUATION PREVIOUSLY AT SBGL.

Narrative: THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS THAT THE LOC TO RWY 15 AT SBGL HAS FAILED DURING THE FINAL APCH. DURING THIS EVENT WE WERE DSNDING FROM 4500 FT TO 2000 FT ON THE ILS RWY 3 TO RWY 15 AT SBGL WHEN THE LOCALIZER FAILED. THERE WAS NO 'OFF FLAG' AND THE ACFT WAS TRACKING THE LOC INBOUND. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE RECEIVING THE ILS AND WHEN I SELECTED THE EXPANDED ILS MODE; THERE WAS NO RWY INDICATED AND I TOLD HIM SO. HE IMMEDIATELY CLRED US TO 'FLY A VOR/ADF APCH TO THE SAME RWY AND RPT THE RWY IN SIGHT.' SINCE I HAD THE VOR AND ADF TUNED AS A BACK UP I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO BRIEF THE FO WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT. WHEN I SELECTED THE NAVAID FOR THE APCH AND ENTERED THE CHANGE TO THE CDU THE EXPANDED VOR INDICATED WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE VOR AND THE CTRLINE WAS FULLY DEFLECTED TO THE R. THIS IS A COMPLICATED ARPT WITH TERRAIN TO 9500 FT WITHIN 25 MILES OF THE STATION AND THE RPTED CEILING OF HAZE AND THIN CLOUDS (IT WAS OVERCAST) WAS RIGHT AT THE MINIMUMS (700 FT). WE ALL AGREED THAT AN IMMEDIATE GO AROUND WAS PRUDENT AND THE APCH CTLR TOLD US TO GO AROUND A FEW SECONDS LATER. IN RETROSPECT; WHEN THE CTLR FIRST CHANGED OUR APCH CLRNC WE SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY GONE AROUND AND NOT ATTEMPTED TO SALVAGE AN APCH AND LNDG. EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING VERY QUICKLY WITH A SLAM DUNK APCH TO 2000 FT; GEAR AND LNDG FLAPS BEING CALLED FOR; AND ALTIMETERS TO BE RESET (BELOW 5500 FT). THE MISSED APCH AND SUBSEQUENT ILS APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 10 WERE UNEVENTFUL. I FLY SEQUENCES TO SBGL; ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY; AND THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE PROBLEMS WITH NAVAIDS; TXWY OR RWY CLOSURES POORLY MARKED; GLIDESLOPES OTS WITHOUT IT BEING REFERENCED IN THE ATIS OR ON OUR ARPT CHARTS. INCIDENTALLY; IF YOU ASK THE CTLR IF THE GLIDESLOPE IS WORKING THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE ASKING. IT CAN TAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CTLRS AND WE SOMETIMES RELY ON OTHER AIRLINE CREWS TO TRANSLATE FOR US. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE EQUIP FAILURES AT SBGL AND PROPER NOTIFICATION OF THOSE FAILURES TO FLT CREWS IN A TIMELY FASHION.

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.