Large transport executes wrong approach to lga.

Attributes
ACN	121386
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	121386
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The WX at lga was given as 700 ceiling and 4 mi visibility, VOR to runway 4 at lga on the ATIS. We were being vectored to final approach course. The first officer was flying the aircraft. I had been informed earlier by the senior flight attendant that a passenger seat (3 seat section) had become unlocked from the floor and was loose and that she had moved the passenger to another row of empty seats. I had sent the second officer back to the cabin to check to see if the seats were still attached to the floor securely enough for landing or if we should either move them up the first row behind the wall and/or tie them down with the crew baggage tie-down straps to the seats in front and in back of them. He reported back that they were ok for landing. When I returned my attention to the approach, I set up my VOR course selector to the inbound course of 041 degree from the VOR B approach to runway 4 which was 04 degree and my altimeter bug to the 1000' MDA. We had both apparently set up for the VOR B approach instead of the VOR a approach to runway 4. We flew the approach as depicted down to minimums and did not see the field maintained MDA to map and executed the missed approach, and requested an ILS to runway 13 which we were vectored to and broke out about 500' and landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT EXECUTES WRONG APCH TO LGA.

Narrative: THE WX AT LGA WAS GIVEN AS 700 CEILING AND 4 MI VISIBILITY, VOR TO RWY 4 AT LGA ON THE ATIS. WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO FINAL APCH COURSE. THE F/O WAS FLYING THE ACFT. I HAD BEEN INFORMED EARLIER BY THE SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT THAT A PAX SEAT (3 SEAT SECTION) HAD BECOME UNLOCKED FROM THE FLOOR AND WAS LOOSE AND THAT SHE HAD MOVED THE PAX TO ANOTHER ROW OF EMPTY SEATS. I HAD SENT THE S/O BACK TO THE CABIN TO CHECK TO SEE IF THE SEATS WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR SECURELY ENOUGH FOR LNDG OR IF WE SHOULD EITHER MOVE THEM UP THE FIRST ROW BEHIND THE WALL AND/OR TIE THEM DOWN WITH THE CREW BAGGAGE TIE-DOWN STRAPS TO THE SEATS IN FRONT AND IN BACK OF THEM. HE REPORTED BACK THAT THEY WERE OK FOR LNDG. WHEN I RETURNED MY ATTN TO THE APCH, I SET UP MY VOR COURSE SELECTOR TO THE INBND COURSE OF 041 DEG FROM THE VOR B APCH TO RWY 4 WHICH WAS 04 DEG AND MY ALTIMETER BUG TO THE 1000' MDA. WE HAD BOTH APPARENTLY SET UP FOR THE VOR B APCH INSTEAD OF THE VOR A APCH TO RWY 4. WE FLEW THE APCH AS DEPICTED DOWN TO MINIMUMS AND DID NOT SEE THE FIELD MAINTAINED MDA TO MAP AND EXECUTED THE MISSED APCH, AND REQUESTED AN ILS TO RWY 13 WHICH WE WERE VECTORED TO AND BROKE OUT ABOUT 500' AND LANDED.

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.