Air carrier medium large transport wrong runway approach and go around on hazy afternoon at ewr.

Attributes
ACN	125493
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : straight in approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	125493
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	125484
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to teb VOR under radar vectors advised that approach would be VOR-DME 22L/right for landing 22R. At 5.0 DME 1800, runway not in sight due to sunshine and haze. At vdp, DME 7.4 2.7 mi from runway, we had runway acquisition, I noted no VASI and first officer repeated notamed out. At 800' AGL tower advised that our aircraft was lined up with 22L and ordered a go around. However, on 2ND approach, both I and first officer paid particular attention to flight conditions and flight visibility. It was noted and passed to tower that in-flight visibility was less than 3 mi and being restr further by sunshine reflecting on haze. I have landed on this particular approach profile many, many times in the past 8 yrs. It concerns and alarms me that a competent cockpit crew could line up for an inactive runway. Supplemental information from acn 125484: I tuned in the ILS 22L on my side, leaving the captain on teterboro VOR. About 8 mi from the airport we were switched to ewr tower and cleared to land runway 22R. I read back cleared to land 22R. The aircraft was still IMC at this point. The only way I can explain what transpired was the old factors, 'familiarity' and 'complacency'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WRONG RWY APCH AND GO AROUND ON HAZY AFTERNOON AT EWR.

Narrative: INBND TO TEB VOR UNDER RADAR VECTORS ADVISED THAT APCH WOULD BE VOR-DME 22L/R FOR LNDG 22R. AT 5.0 DME 1800, RWY NOT IN SIGHT DUE TO SUNSHINE AND HAZE. AT VDP, DME 7.4 2.7 MI FROM RWY, WE HAD RWY ACQUISITION, I NOTED NO VASI AND F/O REPEATED NOTAMED OUT. AT 800' AGL TWR ADVISED THAT OUR ACFT WAS LINED UP WITH 22L AND ORDERED A GO AROUND. HOWEVER, ON 2ND APCH, BOTH I AND F/O PAID PARTICULAR ATTN TO FLT CONDITIONS AND FLT VISIBILITY. IT WAS NOTED AND PASSED TO TWR THAT INFLT VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN 3 MI AND BEING RESTR FURTHER BY SUNSHINE REFLECTING ON HAZE. I HAVE LANDED ON THIS PARTICULAR APCH PROFILE MANY, MANY TIMES IN THE PAST 8 YRS. IT CONCERNS AND ALARMS ME THAT A COMPETENT COCKPIT CREW COULD LINE UP FOR AN INACTIVE RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 125484: I TUNED IN THE ILS 22L ON MY SIDE, LEAVING THE CAPT ON TETERBORO VOR. ABOUT 8 MI FROM THE ARPT WE WERE SWITCHED TO EWR TWR AND CLRED TO LAND RWY 22R. I READ BACK CLRED TO LAND 22R. THE ACFT WAS STILL IMC AT THIS POINT. THE ONLY WAY I CAN EXPLAIN WHAT TRANSPIRED WAS THE OLD FACTORS, 'FAMILIARITY' AND 'COMPLACENCY'.

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.