Flight crew of medium large transport cleared for visual to runway 9 aligned with runway 27. Upon fl...

Attributes
ACN	133759
Time
Date	199001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mgm tower : mgm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	133759
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were inbound to mgm on a clear night. The first officer was flying and I was handling the radios. Approach control asked us if we had the airport in sight. I did not see the field yet, but the copilot said that he did. He pointed in the general vicinity of the airport, but I still couldn't pick it out from all the surrounding lights. I called 'field in sight.' approach control cleared us for a visibility approach to runway 27. I responded that we would prefer runway 9, and he then cleared us for a visibility approach to runway 9 and told us to contact the tower 'now.' I checked in with the tower, and he reiterated that we were cleared for the visibility approach to runway 9. As we continued our approach, I started to see the airport and realized that the first officer was maneuvering the aircraft for runway 27. Moments later, the tower queried us about our intended runway. Since I now realized that we were positioned for runway 27, I asked the tower for visibility approach clearance to runway 27. He cleared us for the approach to runway 27, and cleared us to land on runway 27. The remainder of the approach and landing were uneventful. The first officer heard our approach clearance changed from runway 27 to runway 9, but he had already mentally planned his approach to runway 27 and continued with that plan. It was late at night and we were both tired. As the PIC, I should not accept a visibility approach clearance until I have the airport in sight. Regardless of what the first officer sees or doesn't see, the decision rests with me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG CLEARED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 9 ALIGNED WITH RWY 27. UPON FLT CREW REQUEST, TWR RECLEARED FLT FOR VISUAL TO RWY 27.

Narrative: WE WERE INBND TO MGM ON A CLEAR NIGHT. THE F/O WAS FLYING AND I WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS. APCH CTL ASKED US IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I DID NOT SEE THE FIELD YET, BUT THE COPLT SAID THAT HE DID. HE POINTED IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE ARPT, BUT I STILL COULDN'T PICK IT OUT FROM ALL THE SURROUNDING LIGHTS. I CALLED 'FIELD IN SIGHT.' APCH CTL CLRED US FOR A VIS APCH TO RWY 27. I RESPONDED THAT WE WOULD PREFER RWY 9, AND HE THEN CLRED US FOR A VIS APCH TO RWY 9 AND TOLD US TO CONTACT THE TWR 'NOW.' I CHKED IN WITH THE TWR, AND HE REITERATED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH TO RWY 9. AS WE CONTINUED OUR APCH, I STARTED TO SEE THE ARPT AND REALIZED THAT THE F/O WAS MANEUVERING THE ACFT FOR RWY 27. MOMENTS LATER, THE TWR QUERIED US ABOUT OUR INTENDED RWY. SINCE I NOW REALIZED THAT WE WERE POSITIONED FOR RWY 27, I ASKED THE TWR FOR VIS APCH CLRNC TO RWY 27. HE CLRED US FOR THE APCH TO RWY 27, AND CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 27. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE F/O HEARD OUR APCH CLRNC CHANGED FROM RWY 27 TO RWY 9, BUT HE HAD ALREADY MENTALLY PLANNED HIS APCH TO RWY 27 AND CONTINUED WITH THAT PLAN. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND WE WERE BOTH TIRED. AS THE PIC, I SHOULD NOT ACCEPT A VIS APCH CLRNC UNTIL I HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT. REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE F/O SEES OR DOESN'T SEE, THE DECISION RESTS WITH ME.

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

Flight crew of medium large transport cleared for visual to runway 9 aligned with runway 27. Upon flight crew request, tower recleared flight for visual to runway 27.