Runway was switched without notification to flight crew.

Attributes
ACN	195601
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 8000 agl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	195601
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	195817
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were south of denver and approach told us to turn left to a 320 heading for a visual approach to runway 26L and traffic at our right would be going to 26R. The traffic seemed very close and appeared to be lining up for our runway. We slowed the airplane and verified we were right on course with the ILS. The airplane ahead was also lined up for our runway about a mi ahead and at our altitude. We experienced some rolls when we got in his wake (he was a heavy). The captain switched to tower and asked to verify our runway. They switched us over to the right runway. They never told us about the change before this. The controllers should be very specific about a runway change as early as possible! The passengers and flight attendants were quite frightened and expressed their concern when deplaning. The captain called approach on the ground and they said they were sorry and they had a trainee. North approach and south approach should communicate more!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY WAS SWITCHED WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO FLC.

Narrative: WE WERE S OF DENVER AND APCH TOLD US TO TURN L TO A 320 HDG FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26L AND TFC AT OUR R WOULD BE GOING TO 26R. THE TFC SEEMED VERY CLOSE AND APPEARED TO BE LINING UP FOR OUR RWY. WE SLOWED THE AIRPLANE AND VERIFIED WE WERE RIGHT ON COURSE WITH THE ILS. THE AIRPLANE AHEAD WAS ALSO LINED UP FOR OUR RWY ABOUT A MI AHEAD AND AT OUR ALT. WE EXPERIENCED SOME ROLLS WHEN WE GOT IN HIS WAKE (HE WAS A HVY). THE CAPT SWITCHED TO TWR AND ASKED TO VERIFY OUR RWY. THEY SWITCHED US OVER TO THE R RWY. THEY NEVER TOLD US ABOUT THE CHANGE BEFORE THIS. THE CTLRS SHOULD BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT A RWY CHANGE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE! THE PAXS AND FLT ATTENDANTS WERE QUITE FRIGHTENED AND EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN WHEN DEPLANING. THE CAPT CALLED APCH ON THE GND AND THEY SAID THEY WERE SORRY AND THEY HAD A TRAINEE. N APCH AND S APCH SHOULD COMMUNICATE MORE!

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.