Narrative:

The local WX for our arrival around XA00 was to the best of my recollection an overcast layer around 4000-5000 ft and a scattered layer around 2500 ft. I believe that the reported visibility at the time was around 10 SM. The approachs in use were ILS runway 34L, runway 34R, and runway 35. As we were handed over to approach control, we requested runway 35. The controller put in the request. As we descended below the overcast layer we had good visibility and there were scattered clouds below us. We were given a downwind vector for the ILS runway 34L, and informed by approach that the inbound traffic flow would not allow for an approach to runway 35 as per our request. As we were established on the downwind vector we were able to see the airfield clearly. The controller advised us that if we would be able to take a visual approach and 'square off' our base leg, we could expedite our arrival without having to take the full ILS approach. Both crew members had the ILS runway 34L tuned and idented, and the correct course set in our HSI's as we were set to fly the approach. At this point we were on an extended downwind and the runway was behind us. I was still able to see the runway from the right seat looking back through the left seat window. I asked the captain if he wanted the visual approach. He informed me that he was unable to see the runway but if I could see it, he would accept the approach. I informed approach that we could accept the visual approach to runway 34L. We were cleared for the visual approach to runway 34L and I continued assisting the captain by watching the runway while he stayed on the instruments and xrefed the localizer course. The controller asked us to turn our base, informed us that there was inbound traffic on the ILS runway 34R, and then told us to contact the control tower. We complied with his instructions and as we completed the turn to base leg, the captain informed me that he now had visual contact with the runway. While I was completing our before landing checklist, and contacted tower, the tower controller stated that we had traffic at our 1 O'clock position inbound on the ILS runway 34R (a B737). I verified that on my TCASII and was scanning for the traffic. As we continued and as we were rolling out of the turn to final, approximately 5-7 NM from the runway, I told the captain that it appeared he would need to turn an additional 15 degrees left to be lined up for runway 34L. We then went through the localizer course, and I now had visual contact with the inbound traffic to runway 34R, a B737 approximately 2 NM away and on course for the runway. I instructed the captain to turn 15 degrees left. Immediately following my instructions we received an RA from our TCASII system. I told the apt to arrest the descent immediately and turn left 15 degrees. The captain stopped descending and began a turn. The tower controller then advised that we had penetrated the protected arrival space for runway 34R and to turn left immediately for runway 34L. We were now approximately 2-3 NM from the field. The captain realigned the aircraft for final approach to runway 34L. I asked him if he had a positive visual on runway 34L and he stated that he now had runway 34L in sight. He stated that he had been attempting to approach runway 34R thinking that it was runway 34L. The approach was completed to landing without further incident.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A DASSAULT D50 OVERSHOT TURN TO FINAL PENETRATING THE OTHER PARALLEL RWY SAFETY ZONE DUE TO MISTAKENLY LOOKING AT THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: THE LCL WX FOR OUR ARR AROUND XA00 WAS TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION AN OVCST LAYER AROUND 4000-5000 FT AND A SCATTERED LAYER AROUND 2500 FT. I BELIEVE THAT THE RPTED VISIBILITY AT THE TIME WAS AROUND 10 SM. THE APCHS IN USE WERE ILS RWY 34L, RWY 34R, AND RWY 35. AS WE WERE HANDED OVER TO APCH CTL, WE REQUESTED RWY 35. THE CTLR PUT IN THE REQUEST. AS WE DSNDED BELOW THE OVCST LAYER WE HAD GOOD VISIBILITY AND THERE WERE SCATTERED CLOUDS BELOW US. WE WERE GIVEN A DOWNWIND VECTOR FOR THE ILS RWY 34L, AND INFORMED BY APCH THAT THE INBOUND TFC FLOW WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR AN APCH TO RWY 35 AS PER OUR REQUEST. AS WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE DOWNWIND VECTOR WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE AIRFIELD CLRLY. THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE A VISUAL APCH AND 'SQUARE OFF' OUR BASE LEG, WE COULD EXPEDITE OUR ARR WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE THE FULL ILS APCH. BOTH CREW MEMBERS HAD THE ILS RWY 34L TUNED AND IDENTED, AND THE CORRECT COURSE SET IN OUR HSI'S AS WE WERE SET TO FLY THE APCH. AT THIS POINT WE WERE ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND AND THE RWY WAS BEHIND US. I WAS STILL ABLE TO SEE THE RWY FROM THE R SEAT LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE L SEAT WINDOW. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED THE VISUAL APCH. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE RWY BUT IF I COULD SEE IT, HE WOULD ACCEPT THE APCH. I INFORMED APCH THAT WE COULD ACCEPT THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 34L. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 34L AND I CONTINUED ASSISTING THE CAPT BY WATCHING THE RWY WHILE HE STAYED ON THE INSTS AND XREFED THE LOC COURSE. THE CTLR ASKED US TO TURN OUR BASE, INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS INBOUND TFC ON THE ILS RWY 34R, AND THEN TOLD US TO CONTACT THE CTL TWR. WE COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND AS WE COMPLETED THE TURN TO BASE LEG, THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT HE NOW HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY. WHILE I WAS COMPLETING OUR BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST, AND CONTACTED TWR, THE TWR CTLR STATED THAT WE HAD TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS INBOUND ON THE ILS RWY 34R (A B737). I VERIFIED THAT ON MY TCASII AND WAS SCANNING FOR THE TFC. AS WE CONTINUED AND AS WE WERE ROLLING OUT OF THE TURN TO FINAL, APPROX 5-7 NM FROM THE RWY, I TOLD THE CAPT THAT IT APPEARED HE WOULD NEED TO TURN AN ADDITIONAL 15 DEGS L TO BE LINED UP FOR RWY 34L. WE THEN WENT THROUGH THE LOC COURSE, AND I NOW HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE INBOUND TFC TO RWY 34R, A B737 APPROX 2 NM AWAY AND ON COURSE FOR THE RWY. I INSTRUCTED THE CAPT TO TURN 15 DEGS L. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING MY INSTRUCTIONS WE RECEIVED AN RA FROM OUR TCASII SYS. I TOLD THE APT TO ARREST THE DSCNT IMMEDIATELY AND TURN L 15 DEGS. THE CAPT STOPPED DSNDING AND BEGAN A TURN. THE TWR CTLR THEN ADVISED THAT WE HAD PENETRATED THE PROTECTED ARR SPACE FOR RWY 34R AND TO TURN L IMMEDIATELY FOR RWY 34L. WE WERE NOW APPROX 2-3 NM FROM THE FIELD. THE CAPT REALIGNED THE ACFT FOR FINAL APCH TO RWY 34L. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD A POSITIVE VISUAL ON RWY 34L AND HE STATED THAT HE NOW HAD RWY 34L IN SIGHT. HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO APCH RWY 34R THINKING THAT IT WAS RWY 34L. THE APCH WAS COMPLETED TO LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.