An MD80 captain admitted setting up for the wrong approach at S46.

Attributes
ACN	518610
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : olympia 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	518610
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to 'descend via olympia two arrival, north flow.' unintentionally, (first officer was PF), we set up for south flow. Found ourselves 4000 ft high and 30 KTS fast at only VORTAC. Controller said there was no conflict and gave us vectors to runway 34L at seatac. Error was in complacency due to using this arrival often.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT ADMITTED SETTING UP FOR THE WRONG APCH AT S46.

Narrative: CLRED TO 'DSND VIA OLYMPIA TWO ARR, N FLOW.' UNINTENTIONALLY, (FO WAS PF), WE SET UP FOR S FLOW. FOUND OURSELVES 4000 FT HIGH AND 30 KTS FAST AT ONLY VORTAC. CTLR SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND GAVE US VECTORS TO RWY 34L AT SEATAC. ERROR WAS IN COMPLACENCY DUE TO USING THIS ARR OFTEN.

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.