Wrong runway approach in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	261639
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lan
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lan tracon : lex
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	261639
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about 20 mi out I called the field, having sighted the beacon. We were initially cleared for a visual to runway 28L but we requested and received clearance to land runway 10R. I stated in our approach check that it would be a visual approach backed up by an ILS. I even then briefed the approach lights as per company procedure. As we approached to land, I noticed another aircraft coming to land directly opposite. Tower then stated we would be cleared #2 to land. I thought they were simply landing from the original direction of runway 28L. I told the captain that it looked close. He then queried the tower and they replied that it looked like we were lined up on runway 6. At this point, I realized that I had misidented the correct runway and entered a right base for runway 10R. I was too high and tower said if we felt uncomfortable we could dog leg off to the left and enter a right base for runway 28L as originally planned. This we did and landed with no further incident. Conclusion: complacency and accepting the visual so far out led me onto an up and locked, not thinking, mode. Tower's initial call allowed me to set up for the correct runway, but too late. At least I had the correct judgement to finally go around and land runway 28L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY APCH IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: AT ABOUT 20 MI OUT I CALLED THE FIELD, HAVING SIGHTED THE BEACON. WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 28L BUT WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND RWY 10R. I STATED IN OUR APCH CHK THAT IT WOULD BE A VISUAL APCH BACKED UP BY AN ILS. I EVEN THEN BRIEFED THE APCH LIGHTS AS PER COMPANY PROC. AS WE APCHED TO LAND, I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT COMING TO LAND DIRECTLY OPPOSITE. TWR THEN STATED WE WOULD BE CLRED #2 TO LAND. I THOUGHT THEY WERE SIMPLY LNDG FROM THE ORIGINAL DIRECTION OF RWY 28L. I TOLD THE CAPT THAT IT LOOKED CLOSE. HE THEN QUERIED THE TWR AND THEY REPLIED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE LINED UP ON RWY 6. AT THIS POINT, I REALIZED THAT I HAD MISIDENTED THE CORRECT RWY AND ENTERED A R BASE FOR RWY 10R. I WAS TOO HIGH AND TWR SAID IF WE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WE COULD DOG LEG OFF TO THE L AND ENTER A R BASE FOR RWY 28L AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED. THIS WE DID AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. CONCLUSION: COMPLACENCY AND ACCEPTING THE VISUAL SO FAR OUT LED ME ONTO AN UP AND LOCKED, NOT THINKING, MODE. TWR'S INITIAL CALL ALLOWED ME TO SET UP FOR THE CORRECT RWY, BUT TOO LATE. AT LEAST I HAD THE CORRECT JUDGEMENT TO FINALLY GAR AND LAND RWY 28L.

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.