Narrative:

Coming in from southeast over scurry VOR, approach had said everyone on his frequency was going to make an approach to 17L. They took us over top of field (now on west side of airport) brought us north with a right turn on to final to intercept the ILS approach. Approach said maintain 3000' till established cleared for ILS contact tower on 124.15 which is tower for 18 (west side of field). We did so and controller said we have a problem turn right 240 degree which we did. A few moments later he gave us a left turn and said cleared for ILS to 18R and the frequency for the ILS. We had been established on 17L ILS when they gave us the right turn to 240 degree. The approach worked just fine with no further incident. The bad situation, however, is that we thought it was an ILS 17L approach. I don't really know whether approach thought it was a 17L or 18R approach but nothing was corrected until we went to tower and were established on 17L ILS. If it was supposed to be 18R ILS we should have never been allowed to get over on 17L ILS. I think it would help if approach dallas would confirm what approach aircraft are making further out. They have a tendency of switching apches on you at the last minute making this situation possible. Also as pilots we need to confirm vectors for approach to whatever approach we think we are making. The last thing we believe we were told was that this would be a 17L approach but that was 2 controllers back when we were on the east side of the field. (This all took place in actual IFR conditions.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG INTERCEPTS RWY 17L LOC AND IS THEN TOLD HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE 18R LOC.

Narrative: COMING IN FROM SE OVER SCURRY VOR, APCH HAD SAID EVERYONE ON HIS FREQ WAS GOING TO MAKE AN APCH TO 17L. THEY TOOK US OVER TOP OF FIELD (NOW ON W SIDE OF ARPT) BROUGHT US N WITH A RIGHT TURN ON TO FINAL TO INTERCEPT THE ILS APCH. APCH SAID MAINTAIN 3000' TILL ESTABLISHED CLRED FOR ILS CONTACT TWR ON 124.15 WHICH IS TWR FOR 18 (W SIDE OF FIELD). WE DID SO AND CTLR SAID WE HAVE A PROBLEM TURN RIGHT 240 DEG WHICH WE DID. A FEW MOMENTS LATER HE GAVE US A LEFT TURN AND SAID CLRED FOR ILS TO 18R AND THE FREQ FOR THE ILS. WE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED ON 17L ILS WHEN THEY GAVE US THE RIGHT TURN TO 240 DEG. THE APCH WORKED JUST FINE WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. THE BAD SITUATION, HOWEVER, IS THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ILS 17L APCH. I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHETHER APCH THOUGHT IT WAS A 17L OR 18R APCH BUT NOTHING WAS CORRECTED UNTIL WE WENT TO TWR AND WERE ESTABLISHED ON 17L ILS. IF IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 18R ILS WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ALLOWED TO GET OVER ON 17L ILS. I THINK IT WOULD HELP IF APCH DALLAS WOULD CONFIRM WHAT APCH ACFT ARE MAKING FURTHER OUT. THEY HAVE A TENDENCY OF SWITCHING APCHES ON YOU AT THE LAST MINUTE MAKING THIS SITUATION POSSIBLE. ALSO AS PLTS WE NEED TO CONFIRM VECTORS FOR APCH TO WHATEVER APCH WE THINK WE ARE MAKING. THE LAST THING WE BELIEVE WE WERE TOLD WAS THAT THIS WOULD BE A 17L APCH BUT THAT WAS 2 CTLRS BACK WHEN WE WERE ON THE E SIDE OF THE FIELD. (THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN ACTUAL IFR CONDITIONS.)

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.