A320 flight crew lines up on wrong runway at bwi.

Attributes
ACN	722878
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bwi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	722878
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Not able to get nap prior to all-nighter to bwi. En route had some navigation offset issues with captain navigation display; but resolved themselves. On downwind to runway 33L; asked if runway was in sight. Airport was on right side; first officer acknowledged runway was in sight and I turned for the final approach in night visual conditions. Turned base to final and saw high intensity approach lights on 330 degree heading; turned to intercept. Intercepted; noted slight offset on navigation; but due to prior experience earlier in flight; pressed on towards high intensity runway lights at my 12 O'clock position. Below 1000 ft tower reports we are lined up for runway 33R; which is only 5000 ft long and asks if we can still sidestep to runway 33L. We sidestep without issue. However; without tower call; I am almost certain neither of the pilots would have noticed we were attempting to land on short side. Both crew members were very tired due to body clock issues and inability to get decent nap prior to flight. Flight was further delayed by maintenance issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW LINES UP ON WRONG RWY AT BWI.

Narrative: NOT ABLE TO GET NAP PRIOR TO ALL-NIGHTER TO BWI. ENRTE HAD SOME NAV OFFSET ISSUES WITH CAPT NAV DISPLAY; BUT RESOLVED THEMSELVES. ON DOWNWIND TO RWY 33L; ASKED IF RWY WAS IN SIGHT. ARPT WAS ON R SIDE; FO ACKNOWLEDGED RWY WAS IN SIGHT AND I TURNED FOR THE FINAL APCH IN NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS. TURNED BASE TO FINAL AND SAW HIGH INTENSITY APCH LIGHTS ON 330 DEG HDG; TURNED TO INTERCEPT. INTERCEPTED; NOTED SLIGHT OFFSET ON NAV; BUT DUE TO PRIOR EXPERIENCE EARLIER IN FLT; PRESSED ON TOWARDS HIGH INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS. BELOW 1000 FT TWR RPTS WE ARE LINED UP FOR RWY 33R; WHICH IS ONLY 5000 FT LONG AND ASKS IF WE CAN STILL SIDESTEP TO RWY 33L. WE SIDESTEP WITHOUT ISSUE. HOWEVER; WITHOUT TWR CALL; I AM ALMOST CERTAIN NEITHER OF THE PLTS WOULD HAVE NOTICED WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON SHORT SIDE. BOTH CREW MEMBERS WERE VERY TIRED DUE TO BODY CLOCK ISSUES AND INABILITY TO GET DECENT NAP PRIOR TO FLT. FLT WAS FURTHER DELAYED BY MAINT ISSUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.