An alert ATCT controller at tul prevented a B737 air carrier from landing on a freeway.

Attributes
ACN	478497
Time
Date	200007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tul.airport
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tul.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : tul.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 2 controller radar : 2 controller time certified in position1 : 3
ASRS Report	478497
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued advisory controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On jul/xa/00, air carrier X was cleared to land on runway 18L. I noticed 5 mi northeast of the airport that the aircraft was descending through 1700 ft. I cleared another aircraft for takeoff and then noticed air carrier X was flying due sbound descending through 1300 ft. I informed him he was not aligned with the runway and turned up the approach lights. By this time the aircraft was in a steep climb through 1100 ft. I pointed out the airport to the pilot again. He said he had it in sight. I cleared him for the approach and cleared him to land. The field elevation at tulsa is 640 ft. At 1100 ft the jet was approximately 450 ft AGL -- almost landing on a highway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ALERT ATCT CTLR AT TUL PREVENTED A B737 ACR FROM LNDG ON A FREEWAY.

Narrative: ON JUL/XA/00, ACR X WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 18L. I NOTICED 5 MI NE OF THE ARPT THAT THE ACFT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 1700 FT. I CLRED ANOTHER ACFT FOR TKOF AND THEN NOTICED ACR X WAS FLYING DUE SBOUND DSNDING THROUGH 1300 FT. I INFORMED HIM HE WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH THE RWY AND TURNED UP THE APCH LIGHTS. BY THIS TIME THE ACFT WAS IN A STEEP CLB THROUGH 1100 FT. I POINTED OUT THE ARPT TO THE PLT AGAIN. HE SAID HE HAD IT IN SIGHT. I CLRED HIM FOR THE APCH AND CLRED HIM TO LAND. THE FIELD ELEVATION AT TULSA IS 640 FT. AT 1100 FT THE JET WAS APPROX 450 FT AGL -- ALMOST LNDG ON A HWY.

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.