MD80 captain flying an approach into dfw lines up with the wrong runway and executes a go around.

Attributes
ACN	460767
Time
Date	200001
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	460767
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	461380
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

XA30Z, dfw approach control, 6000 ft. Location: base turn to runway 35C. Returning to dfw from sjc, dfw approach control gave us a clearance to 4000 ft. We left 11000 ft for 4000 ft. At 6000 ft, approach gave us a 090 degree heading and asked if we saw the runway. I said yes. Coming in from the west, I was expecting to land on runway 36L, but approach had told us to expect runway 35C. When I said I had the runway in sight, approach cleared us visual to runway 35C. My head was still locked on landing on the west side, so I told the first officer to tell approach we would have to overshoot, and come back and begin a left turn to runway 36L. The first officer realized what I had done and pointed to runway 35C and told me about our clearance. By the time I realized my error, we were too high to land. Additionally, we got an RA from TCASII to descend, then climb once I got the climb RA. I called for a go around and we got out of there, came back around, and landed uneventfully. It was a clear case of hearing what I expected to hear, rather than what was actually said.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPT FLYING AN APCH INTO DFW LINES UP WITH THE WRONG RWY AND EXECUTES A GAR.

Narrative: XA30Z, DFW APCH CTL, 6000 FT. LOCATION: BASE TURN TO RWY 35C. RETURNING TO DFW FROM SJC, DFW APCH CTL GAVE US A CLRNC TO 4000 FT. WE LEFT 11000 FT FOR 4000 FT. AT 6000 FT, APCH GAVE US A 090 DEG HDG AND ASKED IF WE SAW THE RWY. I SAID YES. COMING IN FROM THE W, I WAS EXPECTING TO LAND ON RWY 36L, BUT APCH HAD TOLD US TO EXPECT RWY 35C. WHEN I SAID I HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, APCH CLRED US VISUAL TO RWY 35C. MY HEAD WAS STILL LOCKED ON LNDG ON THE W SIDE, SO I TOLD THE FO TO TELL APCH WE WOULD HAVE TO OVERSHOOT, AND COME BACK AND BEGIN A LEFT TURN TO RWY 36L. THE FO REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE AND POINTED TO RWY 35C AND TOLD ME ABOUT OUR CLRNC. BY THE TIME I REALIZED MY ERROR, WE WERE TOO HIGH TO LAND. ADDITIONALLY, WE GOT AN RA FROM TCASII TO DSND, THEN CLB ONCE I GOT THE CLB RA. I CALLED FOR A GAR AND WE GOT OUT OF THERE, CAME BACK AROUND, AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IT WAS A CLR CASE OF HEARING WHAT I EXPECTED TO HEAR, RATHER THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID.

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.