Narrative:

Upon being handed off to approach we were assigned a heading to join runway 34R into slc. We were around 40-45 mi out and joined the localizer course. Soon afterwards we were given a heading to join runway 34L. I queried my first officer to see if I heard the correct instructions while I turned to the assigned heading. The approach frequency was busy; I was in the process of looking up the frequency for runway 34L for it had not been briefed; runway 34R had. (The controller mentioned that runway 34L had been issued when we initially checked in.) it took approximately 45 seconds to a min before we could get confirmation about our new runway assignment. It also took me around the same amount of time for us to get the new frequency and set up our FMS. In the process we flew through the course for runway 34L. Approach control asked if we had the terrain to the west in sight. We did and were above it. He gave us another heading to join runway 34L. No GPWS or TCAS warnings were issued. We joined runway 34L; were handed over to tower control and landed uneventfully. No phone number was issued to call approach. Upon shutting down our engines the first officer and myself debriefed on what had occurred. To this day we feel we were issued runway 34R upon checking in with approach. The problem stemmed from the time it took us to get the FMS and new radio frequency set up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 FLT CREW REPORTS CONFUSION OVER RWY ASSIGNMENT ARRIVING SLC; RESULTING IN CLOSE-IN RWY CHANGE AND LOC OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: UPON BEING HANDED OFF TO APCH WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG TO JOIN RWY 34R INTO SLC. WE WERE AROUND 40-45 MI OUT AND JOINED THE LOC COURSE. SOON AFTERWARDS WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO JOIN RWY 34L. I QUERIED MY FO TO SEE IF I HEARD THE CORRECT INSTRUCTIONS WHILE I TURNED TO THE ASSIGNED HDG. THE APCH FREQ WAS BUSY; I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING UP THE FREQ FOR RWY 34L FOR IT HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED; RWY 34R HAD. (THE CTLR MENTIONED THAT RWY 34L HAD BEEN ISSUED WHEN WE INITIALLY CHKED IN.) IT TOOK APPROX 45 SECONDS TO A MIN BEFORE WE COULD GET CONFIRMATION ABOUT OUR NEW RWY ASSIGNMENT. IT ALSO TOOK ME AROUND THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME FOR US TO GET THE NEW FREQ AND SET UP OUR FMS. IN THE PROCESS WE FLEW THROUGH THE COURSE FOR RWY 34L. APCH CTL ASKED IF WE HAD THE TERRAIN TO THE W IN SIGHT. WE DID AND WERE ABOVE IT. HE GAVE US ANOTHER HDG TO JOIN RWY 34L. NO GPWS OR TCAS WARNINGS WERE ISSUED. WE JOINED RWY 34L; WERE HANDED OVER TO TWR CTL AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. NO PHONE NUMBER WAS ISSUED TO CALL APCH. UPON SHUTTING DOWN OUR ENGS THE FO AND MYSELF DEBRIEFED ON WHAT HAD OCCURRED. TO THIS DAY WE FEEL WE WERE ISSUED RWY 34R UPON CHKING IN WITH APCH. THE PROB STEMMED FROM THE TIME IT TOOK US TO GET THE FMS AND NEW RADIO FREQ SET UP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.