B737-800 crew lined up on the wrong runway while flying the lda DME runway 19 approach at dca.

Attributes
ACN	531832
Time
Date	200112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10620 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	531832
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was cleared lda DME runway 19 at dca. VFR conditions. Tower had runway 15 HIRL and PAPI on full. Those lights drown out every other runway lights for other runways, especially runway 19. Tower issued us a go around at approximately 500 ft AGL, left and abeam pentagon. We executed go around without question. Being vectored back for the lda DME runway 19 approach, I asked approach reason for go around. They said I wasn't lined up on right runway. Back on final for lda DME runway 19 approach, tower had all lights off for runway 15. I made out runway lights for runway 19 easily and landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 CREW LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY WHILE FLYING THE LDA DME RWY 19 APCH AT DCA.

Narrative: WAS CLRED LDA DME RWY 19 AT DCA. VFR CONDITIONS. TWR HAD RWY 15 HIRL AND PAPI ON FULL. THOSE LIGHTS DROWN OUT EVERY OTHER RWY LIGHTS FOR OTHER RWYS, ESPECIALLY RWY 19. TWR ISSUED US A GAR AT APPROX 500 FT AGL, L AND ABEAM PENTAGON. WE EXECUTED GAR WITHOUT QUESTION. BEING VECTORED BACK FOR THE LDA DME RWY 19 APCH, I ASKED APCH REASON FOR GAR. THEY SAID I WASN'T LINED UP ON R RWY. BACK ON FINAL FOR LDA DME RWY 19 APCH, TWR HAD ALL LIGHTS OFF FOR RWY 15. I MADE OUT RWY LIGHTS FOR RWY 19 EASILY AND LANDED.

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.