An air carrier large transport made a go around as there was another aircraft on its runway.

Attributes
ACN	255911
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	255911
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe incursion : runway non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Ewr approach control cleared us for approach ILS 22L. When we switched to tower frequency, the controller cleared us to land on runway 22R. I acknowledged 22R cleared to land with extra emphasis because of the change. As we approached 22R, tower cleared another aircraft into position on 22R. We tried to question tower but we were blocked by other xmissions. Because of conflict we executed a go around. After landing, I called ewr tower and spoke to mr. X, tower supervisor. He said that the tower controller cleared us to land on 22L. He asked me to call back in an hour after they pulled and reviewed the tape. Both my first officer and so also heard the runway change 'cleared to land 22R.' I called the ewr tower supervisor, X, back later that same evening nov/sat/93. After they had reviewed the voice tapes, he confirmed that the tower controller in fact did make a mistake and did clear us to land on runway 22R. Mr. X said he would take care of the problem at his end.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT MADE A GAR AS THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON ITS RWY.

Narrative: EWR APCH CTL CLRED US FOR APCH ILS 22L. WHEN WE SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ, THE CTLR CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 22R. I ACKNOWLEDGED 22R CLRED TO LAND WITH EXTRA EMPHASIS BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE. AS WE APCHED 22R, TWR CLRED ANOTHER ACFT INTO POS ON 22R. WE TRIED TO QUESTION TWR BUT WE WERE BLOCKED BY OTHER XMISSIONS. BECAUSE OF CONFLICT WE EXECUTED A GAR. AFTER LNDG, I CALLED EWR TWR AND SPOKE TO MR. X, TWR SUPVR. HE SAID THAT THE TWR CTLR CLRED US TO LAND ON 22L. HE ASKED ME TO CALL BACK IN AN HR AFTER THEY PULLED AND REVIEWED THE TAPE. BOTH MY FO AND SO ALSO HEARD THE RWY CHANGE 'CLRED TO LAND 22R.' I CALLED THE EWR TWR SUPVR, X, BACK LATER THAT SAME EVENING NOV/SAT/93. AFTER THEY HAD REVIEWED THE VOICE TAPES, HE CONFIRMED THAT THE TWR CTLR IN FACT DID MAKE A MISTAKE AND DID CLR US TO LAND ON RWY 22R. MR. X SAID HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROB AT HIS END.

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.