Narrative:

I was acting as pilot flying on our flight. Everything was normal until we began our initial descent. ARTCC had begun descending us much earlier than the RNAV arrival would've. Since we started down early; I felt a slight time compression in getting the brief done and calling for the descent checklist. After reviewing the 10-9 and the 10-7; we determined there was nothing urgent that would affect us other than an ACARS outage on the ground at this station. I proceeded to brief the rest of the briefing items and we ran the descent checklist. Shortly thereafter we were cleared to cross an arrival waypoint at 11;000 ft; then were vectored on a 140 heading. We switch to heading sel and the pm built a course intercept to the FAF. We were then cleared to descend and maintain 2;000 ft and were asked if we had the field in sight approximately 10 NM to the west while descending through 6;000 ft on a left downwind. I told the pm I had it in sight and that he could call it if he saw it; and I called for flaps 1. We were then cleared for the visual approach to runway xx. A course intercept was built to the FAF. I adjusted the heading to turn toward the FAF and disconnected the autopilot/auto throttle. I called for and the flaps were set to 5. Approach then asked if we would keep our base and final short and switched us to tower. I immediately called 'gear down.' as I turned base; I visually acquired what I thought was runway xx and noticed we were high and crossing the extended runway centerline. I increased my rate of turn and continued configuring flaps while the pm selected the requested flap setting; switched to tower and acquired a landing clearance. I called 'flaps 30; landing checklist' approaching 1;000 ft AGL. At that time we joined the visual path using the PAPI and I spooled the engines. Shortly thereafter we were advised by the tower that we were 'apparently aligned with runway yx.' I immediately initiated a go around. We were told to maintain an altitude and heading and switched to departure; who vectored us around for another visual approach to runway xx. The second approach and landing happened without incident.I was visually aligning myself with what I thought was runway xx; but which was actually runway yx. Due to the fact that I was VMC and cleared for the visual but was high; I focused too much of my attention to managing energy and being stabilized but neglected to check the localizer/GS or the nd to assure my alignment with the proper runway. I also felt pressure from approach which asked if we'd keep our visual approach close in. That is a normal request but since I hadn't mentally prepared for the fact that our visual approach from the west would cross us through the approach path to another runway; I missed an opportunity to trap a threat before it resulted in an undesired aircraft state.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-NG flight crew reported lining up for the wrong runway on final. The crew felt rushed which caused cognitive tunneling to the exclusion of basic heading and the loss of situational awareness.

Narrative: I was acting as Pilot Flying on our flight. Everything was normal until we began our initial descent. ARTCC had begun descending us much earlier than the RNAV arrival would've. Since we started down early; I felt a slight time compression in getting the brief done and calling for the Descent Checklist. After reviewing the 10-9 and the 10-7; we determined there was nothing urgent that would affect us other than an ACARS outage on the ground at this station. I proceeded to brief the rest of the briefing items and we ran the Descent Checklist. Shortly thereafter we were cleared to cross an arrival waypoint at 11;000 ft; then were vectored on a 140 heading. We switch to HDG SEL and the PM built a course intercept to the FAF. We were then cleared to descend and maintain 2;000 ft and were asked if we had the field in sight approximately 10 NM to the west while descending through 6;000 ft on a left downwind. I told the PM I had it in sight and that he could call it if he saw it; and I called for flaps 1. We were then cleared for the visual approach to Runway XX. A course intercept was built to the FAF. I adjusted the HDG to turn toward the FAF and disconnected the autopilot/auto throttle. I called for and the flaps were set to 5. Approach then asked if we would keep our base and final short and switched us to tower. I immediately called 'Gear Down.' As I turned base; I visually acquired what I thought was Runway XX and noticed we were high and crossing the extended runway centerline. I increased my rate of turn and continued configuring flaps while the PM selected the requested flap setting; switched to tower and acquired a landing clearance. I called 'Flaps 30; Landing Checklist' approaching 1;000 ft AGL. At that time we joined the visual path using the PAPI and I spooled the engines. Shortly thereafter we were advised by the tower that we were 'apparently aligned with Runway YX.' I immediately initiated a Go Around. We were told to maintain an altitude and heading and switched to departure; who vectored us around for another visual approach to Runway XX. The second approach and landing happened without incident.I was visually aligning myself with what I thought was Runway XX; but which was actually Runway YX. Due to the fact that I was VMC and cleared for the visual but was high; I focused too much of my attention to managing energy and being stabilized but neglected to check the LOC/GS or the ND to assure my alignment with the proper runway. I also felt pressure from approach which asked if we'd keep our visual approach close in. That is a normal request but since I hadn't mentally prepared for the fact that our visual approach from the west would cross us through the approach path to another runway; I missed an opportunity to trap a threat before it resulted in an undesired aircraft state.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.