Narrative:

We were cleared for an approach and landing to runway 4R at bos. I had set up the autoplt for an automatic approach and landing. Shortly before arriving at the OM, I realized that the aircraft had leveled at 2000', as was set in the MCP and did not capture the G/south. I decided to disconnect the autoplt and fly the approach manually. Looking for visibility cues, the only thing I saw were 2 reils, ahead and slightly to the left. My primary concern at the time was to line up visually with those lights, maintain a reasonable rate of descent and airspeed, and monitor the raw data G/south. At about 800-900' I saw the runway lights and landed. We had no idea we had landed on 7L instead of 4R until advised by the tower during a phone call that they asked us to initiate. At no time did we see the approach or runway lights for runway 4R. At the time of our approach the lights to 4R must have been completely obscured by a low deck of clouds. Primary cause: improper automatic approach technique in not cancelling the 2000' MCP altitude after capture of the localizer, thereby not allowing the autoplt to capture the G/south. Contributing factors: rapidly deteriorating WX conditions and complacency brought on by the expectations of visibility approach conditions. Did not review runway lighting, etc. On base leg the WX was reported as 900' scattered with 15 mi visibility. Supplemental information from acn 152457: were given an intercept heading (intercept or above 2000'). I forgot to remove the 2000' altitude from the MCP. Next time: review applicable approach/runway lighting and fly the ILS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB WRONG RWY LNDG AT BOS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR AN APCH AND LNDG TO RWY 4R AT BOS. I HAD SET UP THE AUTOPLT FOR AN AUTOMATIC APCH AND LNDG. SHORTLY BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE OM, I REALIZED THAT THE ACFT HAD LEVELED AT 2000', AS WAS SET IN THE MCP AND DID NOT CAPTURE THE G/S. I DECIDED TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT AND FLY THE APCH MANUALLY. LOOKING FOR VIS CUES, THE ONLY THING I SAW WERE 2 REILS, AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. MY PRIMARY CONCERN AT THE TIME WAS TO LINE UP VISUALLY WITH THOSE LIGHTS, MAINTAIN A REASONABLE RATE OF DSNT AND AIRSPD, AND MONITOR THE RAW DATA G/S. AT ABOUT 800-900' I SAW THE RWY LIGHTS AND LANDED. WE HAD NO IDEA WE HAD LANDED ON 7L INSTEAD OF 4R UNTIL ADVISED BY THE TWR DURING A PHONE CALL THAT THEY ASKED US TO INITIATE. AT NO TIME DID WE SEE THE APCH OR RWY LIGHTS FOR RWY 4R. AT THE TIME OF OUR APCH THE LIGHTS TO 4R MUST HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY OBSCURED BY A LOW DECK OF CLOUDS. PRIMARY CAUSE: IMPROPER AUTOMATIC APCH TECHNIQUE IN NOT CANCELLING THE 2000' MCP ALT AFTER CAPTURE OF THE LOC, THEREBY NOT ALLOWING THE AUTOPLT TO CAPTURE THE G/S. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS AND COMPLACENCY BROUGHT ON BY THE EXPECTATIONS OF VIS APCH CONDITIONS. DID NOT REVIEW RWY LIGHTING, ETC. ON BASE LEG THE WX WAS RPTED AS 900' SCATTERED WITH 15 MI VISIBILITY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 152457: WERE GIVEN AN INTERCEPT HDG (INTERCEPT OR ABOVE 2000'). I FORGOT TO REMOVE THE 2000' ALT FROM THE MCP. NEXT TIME: REVIEW APPLICABLE APCH/RWY LIGHTING AND FLY THE 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.