Commuter small transport wrong runway approach.

Attributes
ACN	123071
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sbn
State Reference	IN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sbn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	descent other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 1720 flight time type : 628
ASRS Report	123071
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Sbn ATIS reported runway 9 in use. We had commuter Y in sight ahead of us and the airport in sight. Commuter Y was cleared for a visual approach to runway 9 by sbn approach control. We were cleared for a visual approach to 9 behind commuter Y. When we checked on with sbn tower, we told them we were on a visual approach for runway 9. Commuter Y started to fade from view and looked like he was still lost (evidently sbn tower told him to use runway 27). At the same time sbn was in an aggravated conversation with a small single. Sbn tower told us to turn 'east', asked if we had commuter Y in sight, told us that we obviously didn't because we were heading for traffic that was departing off 27. That was the first time we knew that 27 was in use. ATIS for departure was still reporting 9 when we left sbn. Contributing factors: 1) many hurried conversations at one time. 2) proper information not received. Before commuter Y was cleared for visual approach he did not have airport in sight. He then said he thought he had it and started toward it. That is why we thought he was still 'lost' when he was really on a downwind to 27.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT WRONG RWY APCH.

Narrative: SBN ATIS REPORTED RWY 9 IN USE. WE HAD COMMUTER Y IN SIGHT AHEAD OF US AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT. COMMUTER Y WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 9 BY SBN APCH CTL. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 9 BEHIND COMMUTER Y. WHEN WE CHECKED ON WITH SBN TWR, WE TOLD THEM WE WERE ON A VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 9. COMMUTER Y STARTED TO FADE FROM VIEW AND LOOKED LIKE HE WAS STILL LOST (EVIDENTLY SBN TWR TOLD HIM TO USE RWY 27). AT THE SAME TIME SBN WAS IN AN AGGRAVATED CONVERSATION WITH A SMALL SINGLE. SBN TWR TOLD US TO TURN 'EAST', ASKED IF WE HAD COMMUTER Y IN SIGHT, TOLD US THAT WE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T BECAUSE WE WERE HDG FOR TFC THAT WAS DEPARTING OFF 27. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE KNEW THAT 27 WAS IN USE. ATIS FOR DEP WAS STILL REPORTING 9 WHEN WE LEFT SBN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) MANY HURRIED CONVERSATIONS AT ONE TIME. 2) PROPER INFO NOT RECEIVED. BEFORE COMMUTER Y WAS CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH HE DID NOT HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT. HE THEN SAID HE THOUGHT HE HAD IT AND STARTED TOWARD IT. THAT IS WHY WE THOUGHT HE WAS STILL 'LOST' WHEN HE WAS REALLY ON A DOWNWIND TO 27.

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.