Pilot deviation approach to wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	292060
Time
Date	199412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp tower : msp tower : ewr
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	292060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight inbound on the meintz 6 arrival into msp we were vectored west of the airport for a visual to runway 11L. Visual approachs to runway 11L and runway 11R were being conducted. When we were turned onto a right base for runway 11L we were instructed to look for an md-80 on a left base for runway 11R, 1000 ft below. As we rolled out on the given heading for the base we saw the crossing traffic turning final for runway 11R. In our approach briefing we discussed the frequency and inbound course for the ILS 11L and the copilot (PF) had it dialed into his radio, my radio was set to the VOR for DME as requested by the copilot. When I called the traffic and airport in sight we were cleared the visual for runway 11L and told to contact the tower. Due to the base heading assigned and the time to identify the traffic as we made the turn we overshot final. Both pilots idented the overshoot and the copilot established a good reintercept for the final (angling left base). Then the copilot asked for the gear down and final descent checklist. As my head was in the cockpit doing the final descent checklist which included setting my radio to the ILS, the copilot asked me what I thought the traffic in front of us (3 or so mi over the threshold) was doing 'taking off or landing.' after focusing on the traffic and deciding he was landing and there seemed to be adequate space I resumed setting in my radios to see us full deflection to the left. This is when both we and the tower (who had cleared us to land previously) realized we were lined up for runway 11R (approximately 1100 ft AGL). The tower asked us if we could sidestep to runway 11L which we started to do but then decided it would be safer to go around. We went around and landed uneventfully on runway 11L. Both pilots made poor assumptions, when I got my head out of the cockpit to check the landing traffic I did not assess the rest of the surroundings but focused only on the traffic and assumed the copilot had intercepted the correct runway final. He also assumed that he had intercepted to correct final visually and did not go back to his instruments to confirm.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV APCH TO WRONG RWY.

Narrative: ON A FLT INBOUND ON THE MEINTZ 6 ARR INTO MSP WE WERE VECTORED W OF THE ARPT FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 11L. VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 11L AND RWY 11R WERE BEING CONDUCTED. WHEN WE WERE TURNED ONTO A R BASE FOR RWY 11L WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO LOOK FOR AN MD-80 ON A L BASE FOR RWY 11R, 1000 FT BELOW. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON THE GIVEN HDG FOR THE BASE WE SAW THE XING TFC TURNING FINAL FOR RWY 11R. IN OUR APCH BRIEFING WE DISCUSSED THE FREQ AND INBOUND COURSE FOR THE ILS 11L AND THE COPLT (PF) HAD IT DIALED INTO HIS RADIO, MY RADIO WAS SET TO THE VOR FOR DME AS REQUESTED BY THE COPLT. WHEN I CALLED THE TFC AND ARPT IN SIGHT WE WERE CLRED THE VISUAL FOR RWY 11L AND TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. DUE TO THE BASE HDG ASSIGNED AND THE TIME TO IDENT THE TFC AS WE MADE THE TURN WE OVERSHOT FINAL. BOTH PLTS IDENTED THE OVERSHOOT AND THE COPLT ESTABLISHED A GOOD REINTERCEPT FOR THE FINAL (ANGLING L BASE). THEN THE COPLT ASKED FOR THE GEAR DOWN AND FINAL DSCNT CHKLIST. AS MY HEAD WAS IN THE COCKPIT DOING THE FINAL DSCNT CHKLIST WHICH INCLUDED SETTING MY RADIO TO THE ILS, THE COPLT ASKED ME WHAT I THOUGHT THE TFC IN FRONT OF US (3 OR SO MI OVER THE THRESHOLD) WAS DOING 'TAKING OFF OR LNDG.' AFTER FOCUSING ON THE TFC AND DECIDING HE WAS LNDG AND THERE SEEMED TO BE ADEQUATE SPACE I RESUMED SETTING IN MY RADIOS TO SEE US FULL DEFLECTION TO THE L. THIS IS WHEN BOTH WE AND THE TWR (WHO HAD CLRED US TO LAND PREVIOUSLY) REALIZED WE WERE LINED UP FOR RWY 11R (APPROX 1100 FT AGL). THE TWR ASKED US IF WE COULD SIDESTEP TO RWY 11L WHICH WE STARTED TO DO BUT THEN DECIDED IT WOULD BE SAFER TO GAR. WE WENT AROUND AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON RWY 11L. BOTH PLTS MADE POOR ASSUMPTIONS, WHEN I GOT MY HEAD OUT OF THE COCKPIT TO CHK THE LNDG TFC I DID NOT ASSESS THE REST OF THE SURROUNDINGS BUT FOCUSED ONLY ON THE TFC AND ASSUMED THE COPLT HAD INTERCEPTED THE CORRECT RWY FINAL. HE ALSO ASSUMED THAT HE HAD INTERCEPTED TO CORRECT FINAL VISUALLY AND DID NOT GO BACK TO HIS INSTS TO CONFIRM.

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.