An air carrier MD80 crew lined up with the wrong runway at dfw. Error admitted. Night operation.

Attributes
ACN	357758
Time
Date	199701
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	357758
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to follow a B757 for a visual approach runway 35L at dfw. While looking for other aircraft, lined up on runway 36L. ILS was tuned and idented for runway 35L, and showed full scale deflection. Problem was obvious, and we went around well above 1000 ft with no apparent conflict. We were then vectored to an uneventful landing on runway 35L. This was the second leg of a double all-nighter ord-tus-dfw and that probably contributed to this mistake. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter has just recently upgraded to captain for the first time after 10 yrs. This was an early morning arrival after a long 'situation around' at tus with no place to take a nap. 'I don't know what can be done' to prevent this. This was a 'mistake on our part.' aircraft are brought in at a 'different angle at this time of the morning,' but 'the runways are in the same place as they always are.' the reporter has received e-mail saying that there will be 'no action' by the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 CREW LINED UP WITH THE WRONG RWY AT DFW. ERROR ADMITTED. NIGHT OP.

Narrative: CLRED TO FOLLOW A B757 FOR A VISUAL APCH RWY 35L AT DFW. WHILE LOOKING FOR OTHER ACFT, LINED UP ON RWY 36L. ILS WAS TUNED AND IDENTED FOR RWY 35L, AND SHOWED FULL SCALE DEFLECTION. PROB WAS OBVIOUS, AND WE WENT AROUND WELL ABOVE 1000 FT WITH NO APPARENT CONFLICT. WE WERE THEN VECTORED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY 35L. THIS WAS THE SECOND LEG OF A DOUBLE ALL-NIGHTER ORD-TUS-DFW AND THAT PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS MISTAKE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR HAS JUST RECENTLY UPGRADED TO CAPT FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER 10 YRS. THIS WAS AN EARLY MORNING ARR AFTER A LONG 'SIT AROUND' AT TUS WITH NO PLACE TO TAKE A NAP. 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE' TO PREVENT THIS. THIS WAS A 'MISTAKE ON OUR PART.' ACFT ARE BROUGHT IN AT A 'DIFFERENT ANGLE AT THIS TIME OF THE MORNING,' BUT 'THE RWYS ARE IN THE SAME PLACE AS THEY ALWAYS ARE.' THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED E-MAIL SAYING THAT THERE WILL BE 'NO ACTION' BY THE FAA.

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.