Narrative:

While on approach to spokane airport, aircraft was cleared direct phort OM (ILS runway 21), while trying to acquire the airport for a visual approach. At approximately 5-10 NM from phort, aircraft was given a 260 degree heading towards the airport which was still not in sight due to a scattered cloud deck blocking the runway. This heading appeared to take us right at the approach end of the runway. While on the heading, a runway appeared and a hurried effort was made to get in position to land. After getting gear and flaps down and completely past any clouds, we had inadvertently lined up for runway 25 versus runway 21. We elected to execute a go around and requested a full ILS to runway 21. This incident could have been avoided with clrer communication (directions and intentions) between the pilots and the controllers. Supplemental information from acn 535486: the controller then gave us a left turn to approximately 260 degree heading which would take us right to the end of runway 21. When I asked why, the controller said it was to put us on a 'close base.' since this would make it impossible to complete a visual to runway 21 from this position, I wasn't sure what the plan was. When we completed the turn, we cleared the cloud band and were almost lined up on runway 25. I assumed that the vector was for runway 25 and called the airport in sight. At that point, I thought the controller cleared us for a visual approach. When I asked about contacting the tower, ATC advised we were lined up on runway 25, which I then realized was not the plan. We then went around and was vectored back to runway 21.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG CREW ON APCH TO GEG, MADE A GAR, REALIZING THEY WERE LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH TO SPOKANE ARPT, ACFT WAS CLRED DIRECT PHORT OM (ILS RWY 21), WHILE TRYING TO ACQUIRE THE ARPT FOR A VISUAL APCH. AT APPROX 5-10 NM FROM PHORT, ACFT WAS GIVEN A 260 DEG HDG TOWARDS THE ARPT WHICH WAS STILL NOT IN SIGHT DUE TO A SCATTERED CLOUD DECK BLOCKING THE RWY. THIS HDG APPEARED TO TAKE US RIGHT AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. WHILE ON THE HDG, A RWY APPEARED AND A HURRIED EFFORT WAS MADE TO GET IN POS TO LAND. AFTER GETTING GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN AND COMPLETELY PAST ANY CLOUDS, WE HAD INADVERTENTLY LINED UP FOR RWY 25 VERSUS RWY 21. WE ELECTED TO EXECUTE A GAR AND REQUESTED A FULL ILS TO RWY 21. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH CLRER COM (DIRECTIONS AND INTENTIONS) BTWN THE PLTS AND THE CTLRS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 535486: THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A L TURN TO APPROX 260 DEG HDG WHICH WOULD TAKE US RIGHT TO THE END OF RWY 21. WHEN I ASKED WHY, THE CTLR SAID IT WAS TO PUT US ON A 'CLOSE BASE.' SINCE THIS WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLETE A VISUAL TO RWY 21 FROM THIS POS, I WASN'T SURE WHAT THE PLAN WAS. WHEN WE COMPLETED THE TURN, WE CLRED THE CLOUD BAND AND WERE ALMOST LINED UP ON RWY 25. I ASSUMED THAT THE VECTOR WAS FOR RWY 25 AND CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AT THAT POINT, I THOUGHT THE CTLR CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT CONTACTING THE TWR, ATC ADVISED WE WERE LINED UP ON RWY 25, WHICH I THEN REALIZED WAS NOT THE PLAN. WE THEN WENT AROUND AND WAS VECTORED BACK TO RWY 21.

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.