Narrative:

ATIS reported landing runway was runway 4L, which we tuned and briefed for. WX was 300 ft overcast, 2 mi visibility, rain and fog. At 300 ft broke out of overcast and saw an aircraft on the runway. We executed a missed approach. During second approach, approach advised us that active runway was runway 04R, which we landed on without incident. During my contacts with approach and tower, I failed to pick up the clrncs to runway 04R and not runway 04L. Fatigue may play a factor, as our duty day started at XA00 till XJ00. The tower supervisor stated that radiating on both ILS's (runways 04R and 04L) at the same time has been a problem here. That we were one of several aircraft that has shot the approach to runway 04L when the landing runway was runway 04R. Found it interesting that today, ATIS reported active runway was runway 04L, which was later changed to runway 04R. Controller asked us if we had the new information. Yesterday, day of incident, no one advised us that a new ATIS was issued. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airport was ewr. The ATIS called for landing on runway 04L. The ATIS was subsequently changed but the crew was not informed of the change. The ILS for runway 04L was not turned off because it is used for the DME on the departure SID procedure. The approach lights for runway 04L were on and the reason for this was vague. Making an approach to the wrong runway has occurred on other occasions because the flight crew picked up the wrong chart. In this case the crew failed to realize they were cleared for the approach to runway 04R. They did not reply with 'cleared for the approach to runway 04R' and 'cleared to land runway 04R.' the crew response to the clrncs was 'cleared to land runway 04.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC APCHED THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: ATIS RPTED LNDG RWY WAS RWY 4L, WHICH WE TUNED AND BRIEFED FOR. WX WAS 300 FT OVCST, 2 MI VISIBILITY, RAIN AND FOG. AT 300 FT BROKE OUT OF OVCST AND SAW AN ACFT ON THE RWY. WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. DURING SECOND APCH, APCH ADVISED US THAT ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 04R, WHICH WE LANDED ON WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING MY CONTACTS WITH APCH AND TWR, I FAILED TO PICK UP THE CLRNCS TO RWY 04R AND NOT RWY 04L. FATIGUE MAY PLAY A FACTOR, AS OUR DUTY DAY STARTED AT XA00 TILL XJ00. THE TWR SUPVR STATED THAT RADIATING ON BOTH ILS'S (RWYS 04R AND 04L) AT THE SAME TIME HAS BEEN A PROB HERE. THAT WE WERE ONE OF SEVERAL ACFT THAT HAS SHOT THE APCH TO RWY 04L WHEN THE LNDG RWY WAS RWY 04R. FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT TODAY, ATIS RPTED ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 04L, WHICH WAS LATER CHANGED TO RWY 04R. CTLR ASKED US IF WE HAD THE NEW INFO. YESTERDAY, DAY OF INCIDENT, NO ONE ADVISED US THAT A NEW ATIS WAS ISSUED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ARPT WAS EWR. THE ATIS CALLED FOR LNDG ON RWY 04L. THE ATIS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED BUT THE CREW WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE CHANGE. THE ILS FOR RWY 04L WAS NOT TURNED OFF BECAUSE IT IS USED FOR THE DME ON THE DEP SID PROC. THE APCH LIGHTS FOR RWY 04L WERE ON AND THE REASON FOR THIS WAS VAGUE. MAKING AN APCH TO THE WRONG RWY HAS OCCURRED ON OTHER OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE FLC PICKED UP THE WRONG CHART. IN THIS CASE THE CREW FAILED TO REALIZE THEY WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH TO RWY 04R. THEY DID NOT REPLY WITH 'CLRED FOR THE APCH TO RWY 04R' AND 'CLRED TO LAND RWY 04R.' THE CREW RESPONSE TO THE CLRNCS WAS 'CLRED TO LAND RWY 04.'

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.