Narrative:

Air carrier X was vectored and cleared for ILS runway 9L. Crew inquired about operation of localizer. Since this was to have been the 1ST aircraft on ILS runway 9R, and all earlier aircraft had received the localizer, and the controller was not aware of the ILS change, the aircraft was informed it was probably because it wasn't close enough to receive the signal. However, since localizer runway 9L was turned off and there was the potential for conflict with traffic on runway 8L, air carrier X approach was abandoned, and he was vectored off the localizer course for another approach. (The 8L traffic was also issued missed approach.) at this time, I was informed the runway 9L localizer was off, and we were to use runway 9R. When I informed the pilot, he began tying up the frequency requesting explanations, phone numbers, making comments so that his flying the aircraft took 2ND place and his turns became unusually broad and the potential for conflict grew with other traffic on the localizer, necessitating excessive slowing and turning to avoid X. Recommendations. 1) simultaneous operation of parallel locs until smooth transition has been accomplished. 2) indication available to approach controllers which ILS is operational. 3) restriction against unnecessary comments on airborne frequencys. Supplemental information from acn 94216. Atl ATIS said 9L ILS, 9R closed. Atl approach gave vector for intercept 9L ILS. 9L localizer (egs) off air. No signal. No identify. Queried approach. He said several times ILS was on air. Approach then broke us out of pattern. Tower supervisor claimed no conflict but said that someone was broken out of 8L final. Turned out that someone closed 9L, opened 9R, turned off 9L localizer and glide slope and never bothered to think of informing approach control of these details.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POOR ATC COORD AND HANDLING CAUSED ACR AND ANOTHER ACFT TO BE VECTORED FOR SECOND APCH.

Narrative: ACR X WAS VECTORED AND CLRED FOR ILS RWY 9L. CREW INQUIRED ABOUT OPERATION OF LOC. SINCE THIS WAS TO HAVE BEEN THE 1ST ACFT ON ILS RWY 9R, AND ALL EARLIER ACFT HAD RECEIVED THE LOC, AND THE CTLR WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ILS CHANGE, THE ACFT WAS INFORMED IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T CLOSE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THE SIGNAL. HOWEVER, SINCE LOC RWY 9L WAS TURNED OFF AND THERE WAS THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT WITH TFC ON RWY 8L, ACR X APCH WAS ABANDONED, AND HE WAS VECTORED OFF THE LOC COURSE FOR ANOTHER APCH. (THE 8L TFC WAS ALSO ISSUED MISSED APCH.) AT THIS TIME, I WAS INFORMED THE RWY 9L LOC WAS OFF, AND WE WERE TO USE RWY 9R. WHEN I INFORMED THE PLT, HE BEGAN TYING UP THE FREQ REQUESTING EXPLANATIONS, PHONE NUMBERS, MAKING COMMENTS SO THAT HIS FLYING THE ACFT TOOK 2ND PLACE AND HIS TURNS BECAME UNUSUALLY BROAD AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT GREW WITH OTHER TFC ON THE LOC, NECESSITATING EXCESSIVE SLOWING AND TURNING TO AVOID X. RECOMMENDATIONS. 1) SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION OF PARALLEL LOCS UNTIL SMOOTH TRANSITION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. 2) INDICATION AVAILABLE TO APCH CTLRS WHICH ILS IS OPERATIONAL. 3) RESTRICTION AGAINST UNNECESSARY COMMENTS ON AIRBORNE FREQS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 94216. ATL ATIS SAID 9L ILS, 9R CLOSED. ATL APCH GAVE VECTOR FOR INTERCEPT 9L ILS. 9L LOC (EGS) OFF AIR. NO SIGNAL. NO IDENT. QUERIED APCH. HE SAID SEVERAL TIMES ILS WAS ON AIR. APCH THEN BROKE US OUT OF PATTERN. TWR SUPVR CLAIMED NO CONFLICT BUT SAID THAT SOMEONE WAS BROKEN OUT OF 8L FINAL. TURNED OUT THAT SOMEONE CLOSED 9L, OPENED 9R, TURNED OFF 9L LOC AND GLIDE SLOPE AND NEVER BOTHERED TO THINK OF INFORMING APCH CTL OF THESE DETAILS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.