Narrative:

Being vectored for landing at dtw, runways 3 in use, copilot flying the aircraft. WX cavu above a low undercast. Cloud deck not very thick, WX at the field about 900 or 1000 overcast, visibility 7 or more. Approach control advised us to expect runway 3R. I (captain and PNF) put carlton VOR in my side to help situational awareness of our position in relation to runway 3R localizer. Put 111.5 in other side of my VOR head. Figured using crl could help us find the runway 3R localizer. Second officer challenged approach frequencys and courses per checklist. First officer responded 'set markers on'. I said, 'still got crl on mine to help find the localizer.: I did not look at first officer's VOR head frequencys at this point. Given heading of about 360 or so to intercept, descent to about 2500' or so, cleared for approach. We were very VMC at this point, and I did not note any aircraft heading for runway 3L, nor was any traffic pointed out by approach control. I noticed crl 033 course coming across on CDI. Advised first officer that localizer should become active momentarily. Few seconds later, we went through 033 course off crl, and first officer had not yet turned from intercept heading. I was just wondering about this and beginning to look around to determine why, when approach called and asked if we were in the localizer yet. I responded to the affect that we were just about there and should be turning anytime. A few seconds later, first officer did turn to intercept localizer, and started down G/south. At about this same point, we went into the undercast. Approach also gave us a call saying we were overshooting runway 3R and needed to come right to intercept. I rogered their call, and about this same time we came out the bottom of the cloud deck, lined up perfectly for runway 3L. I pointed to runway 3R (still talking on radio, so pointed for first officer to see where we were supposed to be), the copilot realized we were lined up incorrectly, and he immediately turned to the right for runway 3R. At this point, I looked for the first time at the frequency on the first officer's VOR head. Sure enough, he had 110.7 dialed up, the localizer for runway 3L. We were still 3 or 4 mi out, and were able to sidestep comfortably and land on runway 3R with no more than normal maneuvering.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK HEADING DEVIATION. FLT CREW SELECTED AND FOLLOWED THE WRONG LOC AT DTW.

Narrative: BEING VECTORED FOR LNDG AT DTW, RWYS 3 IN USE, COPLT FLYING THE ACFT. WX CAVU ABOVE A LOW UNDERCAST. CLOUD DECK NOT VERY THICK, WX AT THE FIELD ABOUT 900 OR 1000 OVCST, VISIBILITY 7 OR MORE. APCH CTL ADVISED US TO EXPECT RWY 3R. I (CAPT AND PNF) PUT CARLTON VOR IN MY SIDE TO HELP SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF OUR POS IN RELATION TO RWY 3R LOC. PUT 111.5 IN OTHER SIDE OF MY VOR HEAD. FIGURED USING CRL COULD HELP US FIND THE RWY 3R LOC. S/O CHALLENGED APCH FREQS AND COURSES PER CHKLIST. F/O RESPONDED 'SET MARKERS ON'. I SAID, 'STILL GOT CRL ON MINE TO HELP FIND THE LOC.: I DID NOT LOOK AT F/O'S VOR HEAD FREQS AT THIS POINT. GIVEN HDG OF ABOUT 360 OR SO TO INTERCEPT, DSNT TO ABOUT 2500' OR SO, CLRED FOR APCH. WE WERE VERY VMC AT THIS POINT, AND I DID NOT NOTE ANY ACFT HDG FOR RWY 3L, NOR WAS ANY TFC POINTED OUT BY APCH CTL. I NOTICED CRL 033 COURSE COMING ACROSS ON CDI. ADVISED F/O THAT LOC SHOULD BECOME ACTIVE MOMENTARILY. FEW SECS LATER, WE WENT THROUGH 033 COURSE OFF CRL, AND F/O HAD NOT YET TURNED FROM INTERCEPT HDG. I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THIS AND BEGINNING TO LOOK AROUND TO DETERMINE WHY, WHEN APCH CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE IN THE LOC YET. I RESPONDED TO THE AFFECT THAT WE WERE JUST ABOUT THERE AND SHOULD BE TURNING ANYTIME. A FEW SECS LATER, F/O DID TURN TO INTERCEPT LOC, AND STARTED DOWN G/S. AT ABOUT THIS SAME POINT, WE WENT INTO THE UNDERCAST. APCH ALSO GAVE US A CALL SAYING WE WERE OVERSHOOTING RWY 3R AND NEEDED TO COME R TO INTERCEPT. I ROGERED THEIR CALL, AND ABOUT THIS SAME TIME WE CAME OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLOUD DECK, LINED UP PERFECTLY FOR RWY 3L. I POINTED TO RWY 3R (STILL TALKING ON RADIO, SO POINTED FOR F/O TO SEE WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE), THE COPLT REALIZED WE WERE LINED UP INCORRECTLY, AND HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE R FOR RWY 3R. AT THIS POINT, I LOOKED FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE FREQ ON THE F/O'S VOR HEAD. SURE ENOUGH, HE HAD 110.7 DIALED UP, THE LOC FOR RWY 3L. WE WERE STILL 3 OR 4 MI OUT, AND WERE ABLE TO SIDESTEP COMFORTABLY AND LAND ON RWY 3R WITH NO MORE THAN NORMAL MANEUVERING.

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.