Narrative:

As a crew of an large transport we were cleared for a visibility approach to 26R at den approximately 10 NM out. At that time we accepted the approach and had the field in sight. The WX was 5 mi with haze and fog and the sun was in the ssw. As we continued the descent we lost the field at approximately 3-5 mi out and continued for a short time, but we could not pick the field back out so ATC was informed and we began our go around. ATC asked if we would accept a visibility to 17R. Since we still had the field in sight we accepted. However in our haste and to keep the field in sight, we inadvertently turned to runway 18 instead. When we rolled out on final and saw the incorrect runway we asked to be vectored back to 26L. The tower saw at the same time that we were lined up to the wrong runway and started vectors to 26L. This approach was successful. We noticed on this approach that we could see the runway above the haze layer, lost it again until we were inside of 3 mi. Although there were parallel visibility approachs that afternoon and we did not conflict with other traffic to my knowledge, I believe that visibility approachs were not appropriate with the current conditions. Also, a circling approach to the other runway was not a safe idea. It is too difficult to reorganize and accomplish all necessary tasks, ie tuning appropriate radios, looking for traffic and the visibility cues necessary as well as checklists.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LOST SIGHT OF ARPT AT DEN AFTER ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R. ON GO AROUND APCH CTL AMENDED CLRNC TO RWY 17R AND FLT CREW STARTED APCH TO WRONG RWY. AFTER SECOND GO AROUND ACFT WAS VECTORED TO RWY 26L.

Narrative: AS A CREW OF AN LGT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VIS APCH TO 26R AT DEN APPROX 10 NM OUT. AT THAT TIME WE ACCEPTED THE APCH AND HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE WX WAS 5 MI WITH HAZE AND FOG AND THE SUN WAS IN THE SSW. AS WE CONTINUED THE DSCNT WE LOST THE FIELD AT APPROX 3-5 MI OUT AND CONTINUED FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT WE COULD NOT PICK THE FIELD BACK OUT SO ATC WAS INFORMED AND WE BEGAN OUR GAR. ATC ASKED IF WE WOULD ACCEPT A VIS TO 17R. SINCE WE STILL HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT WE ACCEPTED. HOWEVER IN OUR HASTE AND TO KEEP THE FIELD IN SIGHT, WE INADVERTENTLY TURNED TO RWY 18 INSTEAD. WHEN WE ROLLED OUT ON FINAL AND SAW THE INCORRECT RWY WE ASKED TO BE VECTORED BACK TO 26L. THE TWR SAW AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE WERE LINED UP TO THE WRONG RWY AND STARTED VECTORS TO 26L. THIS APCH WAS SUCCESSFUL. WE NOTICED ON THIS APCH THAT WE COULD SEE THE RWY ABOVE THE HAZE LAYER, LOST IT AGAIN UNTIL WE WERE INSIDE OF 3 MI. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE PARALLEL VIS APCHS THAT AFTERNOON AND WE DID NOT CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I BELIEVE THAT VIS APCHS WERE NOT APPROPRIATE WITH THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. ALSO, A CIRCLING APCH TO THE OTHER RWY WAS NOT A SAFE IDEA. IT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO REORGANIZE AND ACCOMPLISH ALL NECESSARY TASKS, IE TUNING APPROPRIATE RADIOS, LOOKING FOR TFC AND THE VIS CUES NECESSARY AS WELL AS CHKLISTS.

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.