Large transport made approach on 31R ILS, but ATC wanted them on the 31L ILS.

Attributes
ACN	143346
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : jfk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	143346
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	142831
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Operational Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

ATIS at jfk reported approach to 31R in use. During sequencing for arrival we were told to expect 31R. After handoff to tower and establishing ourselves on 31R ILS localizer, controller stated we were too far right of the localizer and gave us a heading of 20-30 degrees to our left. Controller followed this with instructions to turn immediately to a heading 20 degrees left of course. Captain had first officer query as to ILS we were cleared for and frequency. Controller responded 31L, and gave that ILS frequency. This was first any mention of 31L was made. We turned and completed approach and landing to 31L at jfk. Controller aggravated this situation by a high sense of urgency in voice and by assuming (incorrectly) that we were proceeding to 31L. Apparently an error in handoffs between controllers was made. Supplemental information from acn 142831: after landing, I talked with the tower supervisor. He was aware of our situation and said that when approach handed us over that the screen data base was on the left side, indicating that we had been cleared for the 31L ILS. The controller used the word 'immediate' because there was a widebody transport behind us that had been cleared for the 31R ILS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT MADE APCH ON 31R ILS, BUT ATC WANTED THEM ON THE 31L ILS.

Narrative: ATIS AT JFK RPTED APCH TO 31R IN USE. DURING SEQUENCING FOR ARR WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT 31R. AFTER HDOF TO TWR AND ESTABLISHING OURSELVES ON 31R ILS LOC, CTLR STATED WE WERE TOO FAR RIGHT OF THE LOC AND GAVE US A HDG OF 20-30 DEGS TO OUR LEFT. CTLR FOLLOWED THIS WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A HDG 20 DEGS LEFT OF COURSE. CAPT HAD F/O QUERY AS TO ILS WE WERE CLRED FOR AND FREQ. CTLR RESPONDED 31L, AND GAVE THAT ILS FREQ. THIS WAS FIRST ANY MENTION OF 31L WAS MADE. WE TURNED AND COMPLETED APCH AND LNDG TO 31L AT JFK. CTLR AGGRAVATED THIS SITUATION BY A HIGH SENSE OF URGENCY IN VOICE AND BY ASSUMING (INCORRECTLY) THAT WE WERE PROCEEDING TO 31L. APPARENTLY AN ERROR IN HDOFS BTWN CTLRS WAS MADE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 142831: AFTER LNDG, I TALKED WITH THE TWR SUPVR. HE WAS AWARE OF OUR SITUATION AND SAID THAT WHEN APCH HANDED US OVER THAT THE SCREEN DATA BASE WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE, INDICATING THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE 31L ILS. THE CTLR USED THE WORD 'IMMEDIATE' BECAUSE THERE WAS A WDB BEHIND US THAT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE 31R ILS.

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.