Cleared for straight in visual approach at pwm, commuter flight crew lines up with taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	155578
Time
Date	199008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pwm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pwm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	155578
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying and first officer was operating the radios proceeding up the coast over the water on a 040 degree heading. WX was VFR clear/unlimited visibility. During the descent 15-20 mi out portland approach cleared us for runway 26 (on INS approach available). I lined up for runway 36 5-10 mi out. Normal cockpit checks were completed prior to and after contacting portland tower. Tower advised us of right traffic to runway 29 which we kept in sight. Landing checks complete, we observed runway 29 traffic turn right off of runway 29 on to the taxiway. We were now 1.5-2 mi from the runway (prior to this point the tower had made no comment or question concerning runway 36 alignment). At this moment the first officer and I simultaneously recognized that we were not correctly lined up for runway 36 and I immediately initiated a go around. During initial stages of go around tower advised us that we appeared to be aligned for taxiway C. We entered left downwind for runway 36 nd landing west/O assist or event. Contributing factors: no localizer or VOR for runway 36, airport difficult to see in surrounding environment, both crew members focusing on runway 29 traffic and first officer not checking captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLEARED FOR STRAIGHT IN VISUAL APCH AT PWM, COMMUTER FLT CREW LINES UP WITH TXWY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AND F/O WAS OPERATING THE RADIOS PROCEEDING UP THE COAST OVER THE WATER ON A 040 DEG HDG. WX WAS VFR CLR/UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. DURING THE DSNT 15-20 MI OUT PORTLAND APCH CLRED US FOR RWY 26 (ON INS APCH AVAILABLE). I LINED UP FOR RWY 36 5-10 MI OUT. NORMAL COCKPIT CHKS WERE COMPLETED PRIOR TO AND AFTER CONTACTING PORTLAND TWR. TWR ADVISED US OF RIGHT TFC TO RWY 29 WHICH WE KEPT IN SIGHT. LNDG CHKS COMPLETE, WE OBSERVED RWY 29 TFC TURN RIGHT OFF OF RWY 29 ON TO THE TXWY. WE WERE NOW 1.5-2 MI FROM THE RWY (PRIOR TO THIS POINT THE TWR HAD MADE NO COMMENT OR QUESTION CONCERNING RWY 36 ALIGNMENT). AT THIS MOMENT THE F/O AND I SIMULTANEOUSLY RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE NOT CORRECTLY LINED UP FOR RWY 36 AND I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A GAR. DURING INITIAL STAGES OF GAR TWR ADVISED US THAT WE APPEARED TO BE ALIGNED FOR TXWY C. WE ENTERED LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36 ND LNDG W/O ASSIST OR EVENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NO LOC OR VOR FOR RWY 36, ARPT DIFFICULT TO SEE IN SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, BOTH CREW MEMBERS FOCUSING ON RWY 29 TFC AND F/O NOT CHKING CAPT.

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.