Flight crew of medium large transport on sidestep lda approach to stl aligned with runway too soon.

Attributes
ACN	118896
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	118896
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were making an approach into stl. We were told by approach control to expect an ILS to 12R. As we got over the field, approach control changed the approach to an lda approach to 12L. Approach control was keeping us up and descending us rather slowly. I assume this was due to conflicting traffic. We were finally turned toward the localizer and cleared for the approach. I saw the localizer start to come across the about that time the first officer called the runway in sight. We were high as expected but far enough from the runway to get down and make a safe, stable approach. With the runway in sight, I rolled the aircraft out on the centerline of 12L. The problem is that I should have rolled out on the localizer which is offset to the left of centerline. When you are describing an incident like this, you wonder how you could do something so foolish. This was my first lda approach, and after years of rolling out on the centerline of the runway, it surely was easy for me to do. I don't know if anyone else has had this problem, but it is a situation I will be guarding against in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ON SIDESTEP LDA APCH TO STL ALIGNED WITH RWY TOO SOON.

Narrative: WE WERE MAKING AN APCH INTO STL. WE WERE TOLD BY APCH CTL TO EXPECT AN ILS TO 12R. AS WE GOT OVER THE FIELD, APCH CTL CHANGED THE APCH TO AN LDA APCH TO 12L. APCH CTL WAS KEEPING US UP AND DESCENDING US RATHER SLOWLY. I ASSUME THIS WAS DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC. WE WERE FINALLY TURNED TOWARD THE LOC AND CLRED FOR THE APCH. I SAW THE LOC START TO COME ACROSS THE ABOUT THAT TIME THE F/O CALLED THE RWY IN SIGHT. WE WERE HIGH AS EXPECTED BUT FAR ENOUGH FROM THE RWY TO GET DOWN AND MAKE A SAFE, STABLE APCH. WITH THE RWY IN SIGHT, I ROLLED THE ACFT OUT ON THE CENTERLINE OF 12L. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I SHOULD HAVE ROLLED OUT ON THE LOC WHICH IS OFFSET TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE. WHEN YOU ARE DESCRIBING AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS, YOU WONDER HOW YOU COULD DO SOMETHING SO FOOLISH. THIS WAS MY FIRST LDA APCH, AND AFTER YEARS OF ROLLING OUT ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE RWY, IT SURELY WAS EASY FOR ME TO DO. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS A SITUATION I WILL BE GUARDING AGAINST IN THE FUTURE.

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