Narrative:

We were cleared to land runway 13R via the charted runways 13L/right visual approach procedure. ATC changed approach 3 times (VOR DME 22; visual runway 13L; visual runway 13R). Conditions were clear; but hazy. Approach procedure calls for close adherence to track over lead-in lights. The lead-in lights are collocated up to a point where they split to track to separate runways. PF became fixated on following the lead-in lights and was unaware that he was tracking the lights for runway 13L. We were starting to correct to runway 13R when the controller cleared us to land runway 13L; which we did. Contributing factors: PIC has 40 hours in aircraft; but comfortable with the aircraft operation. Sic has fewer than 6 hours in aircraft; and not yet comfortable in the aircraft; reducing his effectiveness as a safety monitor. Multiple runway changes caused greater workload in close. Lead-in light system seems to have gaps in providing a continuous track to the runways. Combination of haze; overcast and ambient light at that time of day made lead-in lights difficult to pick out. Controller did a great job of monitoring our position to ensure that a conflict did not occur. Recommendations: check that lead-in lights provide a continuous path to the runway. Avoid late changes in runway assignment; if possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY CHANGES ON BASE LEG OF CANARSIE APCHS TO 13L/4 AT JFK IS A CHALLENGE FOR FLT CREW WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN TYPE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 13R VIA THE CHARTED RWYS 13L/R VISUAL APCH PROC. ATC CHANGED APCH 3 TIMES (VOR DME 22; VISUAL RWY 13L; VISUAL RWY 13R). CONDITIONS WERE CLR; BUT HAZY. APCH PROC CALLS FOR CLOSE ADHERENCE TO TRACK OVER LEAD-IN LIGHTS. THE LEAD-IN LIGHTS ARE COLLOCATED UP TO A POINT WHERE THEY SPLIT TO TRACK TO SEPARATE RWYS. PF BECAME FIXATED ON FOLLOWING THE LEAD-IN LIGHTS AND WAS UNAWARE THAT HE WAS TRACKING THE LIGHTS FOR RWY 13L. WE WERE STARTING TO CORRECT TO RWY 13R WHEN THE CTLR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 13L; WHICH WE DID. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PIC HAS 40 HRS IN ACFT; BUT COMFORTABLE WITH THE ACFT OP. SIC HAS FEWER THAN 6 HRS IN ACFT; AND NOT YET COMFORTABLE IN THE ACFT; REDUCING HIS EFFECTIVENESS AS A SAFETY MONITOR. MULTIPLE RWY CHANGES CAUSED GREATER WORKLOAD IN CLOSE. LEAD-IN LIGHT SYS SEEMS TO HAVE GAPS IN PROVIDING A CONTINUOUS TRACK TO THE RWYS. COMBINATION OF HAZE; OVCST AND AMBIENT LIGHT AT THAT TIME OF DAY MADE LEAD-IN LIGHTS DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT. CTLR DID A GREAT JOB OF MONITORING OUR POS TO ENSURE THAT A CONFLICT DID NOT OCCUR. RECOMMENDATIONS: CHK THAT LEAD-IN LIGHTS PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS PATH TO THE RWY. AVOID LATE CHANGES IN RWY ASSIGNMENT; IF POSSIBLE.

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.