CL65 crew made a visual approach to the wrong runway at dca.

Attributes
ACN	566102
Time
Date	200211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower tower : hou.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : charted visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	566102
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : executed go around none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During the final phase of the river visual to runway 19 at reagan washington national airport, we executed a go around after having lined up on the wrong runway (runway 15). Uneventful go around and subsequent landing. We were cleared for the river visual runway 19 approximately 10 mi out. I had flown this approach before in daylight, but not at night. Visibility was excellent. I had runway 15 in sight at about 8 DME. While concentrating on staying over the river, I frequently looked away from this airport. About 2-3 DME the tower controller told us to 'square the base' turn. At that point, I reacquired the airport and wrongly idented runway 15 as being runway 19, and began to line up on runway 15. I shortly realized that an aircraft was on the runway, and that I was lined up on runway 15. I initiated the go around at the same time the tower controller called for a go around. Subsequent departure, return to airport and landing were unremarkable. On downwind, I questioned whether I should call tower after landing. The controller said they were discussing it, and he would let me know. Shortly, he came back and told me to 'don't worry about it.' this is a fairly difficult visual approach to fly. Even though I had flown it during the day, the visual cues are different at night. Runway 15 was very prominent during the approach, and I apparently fell into the trap after concentrating on staying over the river.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW MADE A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG RWY AT DCA.

Narrative: DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF THE RIVER VISUAL TO RWY 19 AT REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL ARPT, WE EXECUTED A GAR AFTER HAVING LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY (RWY 15). UNEVENTFUL GAR AND SUBSEQUENT LNDG. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE RIVER VISUAL RWY 19 APPROX 10 MI OUT. I HAD FLOWN THIS APCH BEFORE IN DAYLIGHT, BUT NOT AT NIGHT. VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT. I HAD RWY 15 IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 8 DME. WHILE CONCENTRATING ON STAYING OVER THE RIVER, I FREQUENTLY LOOKED AWAY FROM THIS ARPT. ABOUT 2-3 DME THE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO 'SQUARE THE BASE' TURN. AT THAT POINT, I REACQUIRED THE ARPT AND WRONGLY IDENTED RWY 15 AS BEING RWY 19, AND BEGAN TO LINE UP ON RWY 15. I SHORTLY REALIZED THAT AN ACFT WAS ON THE RWY, AND THAT I WAS LINED UP ON RWY 15. I INITIATED THE GAR AT THE SAME TIME THE TWR CTLR CALLED FOR A GAR. SUBSEQUENT DEP, RETURN TO ARPT AND LNDG WERE UNREMARKABLE. ON DOWNWIND, I QUESTIONED WHETHER I SHOULD CALL TWR AFTER LNDG. THE CTLR SAID THEY WERE DISCUSSING IT, AND HE WOULD LET ME KNOW. SHORTLY, HE CAME BACK AND TOLD ME TO 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.' THIS IS A FAIRLY DIFFICULT VISUAL APCH TO FLY. EVEN THOUGH I HAD FLOWN IT DURING THE DAY, THE VISUAL CUES ARE DIFFERENT AT NIGHT. RWY 15 WAS VERY PROMINENT DURING THE APCH, AND I APPARENTLY FELL INTO THE TRAP AFTER CONCENTRATING ON STAYING OVER THE RIVER.

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.