Air carrier medium large transport wrong runway approach at atl.

Attributes
ACN	186663
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	186663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During approach to atl, approach controller, on chkin, said 'expect 27L'. PF briefed and we tuned/idented 27L approach. I acknowledged final intercept turn to 240 degree and 5000 ft, partially blocking controller's later instructions. I queried controller who said 'cleared for approach, maintain 2700 ft till catta'. I replied '2700 ft and cleared for 27L'. No response. We had been given 119.5 for tower (north tower). Checked in with tower and was sent to 119.1 (south tower). Checked in and tower said 'this won't work, you're 3 mi behind heavy, turn left to xyz degree and climb to 3500 ft'. On chkin with approach he said 'did you shoot approach to 27L?, you should have been on 26R'. Reentered final for uneventful approach. Factors: 26L was never mentioned, and we focused on 27L approach. I should have insisted on readback of my 'cleared approach 27L'. The tower frequency 119.5 (north) and 2700 till catta should have alerted me to conflict, but we were busy and still focused on 27L approach. Frequency congestion and length of instructions contribute to this problem. (Data link will someday help.) insistence on positive readbacks is imperative for final confirmation of instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WRONG RWY APCH AT ATL.

Narrative: DURING APCH TO ATL, APCH CTLR, ON CHKIN, SAID 'EXPECT 27L'. PF BRIEFED AND WE TUNED/IDENTED 27L APCH. I ACKNOWLEDGED FINAL INTERCEPT TURN TO 240 DEG AND 5000 FT, PARTIALLY BLOCKING CTLR'S LATER INSTRUCTIONS. I QUERIED CTLR WHO SAID 'CLRED FOR APCH, MAINTAIN 2700 FT TILL CATTA'. I REPLIED '2700 FT AND CLRED FOR 27L'. NO RESPONSE. WE HAD BEEN GIVEN 119.5 FOR TWR (N TWR). CHKED IN WITH TWR AND WAS SENT TO 119.1 (S TWR). CHKED IN AND TWR SAID 'THIS WON'T WORK, YOU'RE 3 MI BEHIND HVY, TURN L TO XYZ DEG AND CLB TO 3500 FT'. ON CHKIN WITH APCH HE SAID 'DID YOU SHOOT APCH TO 27L?, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON 26R'. REENTERED FINAL FOR UNEVENTFUL APCH. FACTORS: 26L WAS NEVER MENTIONED, AND WE FOCUSED ON 27L APCH. I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED ON READBACK OF MY 'CLRED APCH 27L'. THE TWR FREQ 119.5 (N) AND 2700 TILL CATTA SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO CONFLICT, BUT WE WERE BUSY AND STILL FOCUSED ON 27L APCH. FREQ CONGESTION AND LENGTH OF INSTRUCTIONS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROBLEM. (DATA LINK WILL SOMEDAY HELP.) INSISTENCE ON POSITIVE READBACKS IS IMPERATIVE FOR FINAL CONFIRMATION OF INSTRUCTIONS.

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