Narrative:

After initial check-in with approach control and asking for deviations to the southwest for WX, my new copilot and I believe we were told to expect runway 35L. After switching to another approach frequency we were given a position report and clearance to intercept the localizer and cleared from 4000 ft to 3000 ft, cleared for the approach. My copilot read back 'cleared for ILS runway 35L.' about this time my localizer signal was cycling on and off in about a 5 second interval. I set up our automation to fly the ILS to runway 35L. I asked the copilot to call the flight attendants to make sure that there were no electronic devices on in the cabin. After leveling at 3000 ft and about to intercept the localizer, the approach controller asked 'are you intercepting the runway 35R ILS?' we said 'negative, we understood runway 35L, would you like us to transition back to runway 35R?' the controller said 'no' and issued us a clearance to runway 35L. In retrospect, high task situation with heavy rain and thunderstorms, new copilot, and temporary problems with localizer signals (which cleared up as we got closer to louisville), I realized there were 2 places I could have caught our error or misunderstanding which of the parallel runways we were cleared to. The position report 'you are 10 mi south of XXX turn right....' I did not understand the fix and had I queried the controller on the fix, we might have caught our error. We could have also done a better job of listening for the clearance. We have not heard the tapes. Lastly, ATC shares responsibility with the pilots to insure the readbacks are correct -- especially around airports with parallel runways.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLC STARTS A WRONG RWY APCH AFTER A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE RWY ASSIGNMENT AND A FLUCTUATING LOC NEEDLE, 25 MI S OF SDF, KY.

Narrative: AFTER INITIAL CHK-IN WITH APCH CTL AND ASKING FOR DEVS TO THE SW FOR WX, MY NEW COPLT AND I BELIEVE WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 35L. AFTER SWITCHING TO ANOTHER APCH FREQ WE WERE GIVEN A POS RPT AND CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND CLRED FROM 4000 FT TO 3000 FT, CLRED FOR THE APCH. MY COPLT READ BACK 'CLRED FOR ILS RWY 35L.' ABOUT THIS TIME MY LOC SIGNAL WAS CYCLING ON AND OFF IN ABOUT A 5 SECOND INTERVAL. I SET UP OUR AUTOMATION TO FLY THE ILS TO RWY 35L. I ASKED THE COPLT TO CALL THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES ON IN THE CABIN. AFTER LEVELING AT 3000 FT AND ABOUT TO INTERCEPT THE LOC, THE APCH CTLR ASKED 'ARE YOU INTERCEPTING THE RWY 35R ILS?' WE SAID 'NEGATIVE, WE UNDERSTOOD RWY 35L, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO TRANSITION BACK TO RWY 35R?' THE CTLR SAID 'NO' AND ISSUED US A CLRNC TO RWY 35L. IN RETROSPECT, HIGH TASK SIT WITH HVY RAIN AND TSTMS, NEW COPLT, AND TEMPORARY PROBS WITH LOC SIGNALS (WHICH CLRED UP AS WE GOT CLOSER TO LOUISVILLE), I REALIZED THERE WERE 2 PLACES I COULD HAVE CAUGHT OUR ERROR OR MISUNDERSTANDING WHICH OF THE PARALLEL RWYS WE WERE CLRED TO. THE POS RPT 'YOU ARE 10 MI S OF XXX TURN R....' I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE FIX AND HAD I QUERIED THE CTLR ON THE FIX, WE MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT OUR ERROR. WE COULD HAVE ALSO DONE A BETTER JOB OF LISTENING FOR THE CLRNC. WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE TAPES. LASTLY, ATC SHARES RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE PLTS TO INSURE THE READBACKS ARE CORRECT -- ESPECIALLY AROUND ARPTS WITH PARALLEL RWYS.

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.