Pilot of small aircraft aligned with wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	173165
Time
Date	199103
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bfi
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bfi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 268
ASRS Report	173165
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared for approach to runway 13L to follow an small aircraft on long final over city. I was on extended base. Turned final and began to receive radio interference on tower frequency. Possibly broadcast station bleeding through. Tower advised of two aircraft on final to runway 13R. I saw one aircraft to right could not locate the second and advised the tower of no contact. Becoming concerned I lowered right wing looking for aircraft I thought might be below and to right. Still no contact. As I rolled back level picked up aircraft ahead. I assumed this was aircraft I was following to runway 13L. I continued to concentrate on spacing and descent rate. Evidently I had picked up aircraft approaching runway 13R. I was concentrating 90 percent on aircraft around me and only 10 percent on runway selection. Aircraft ahead on roll out. Approaching runway threshold I realized my mistake and commenced go around simultaneously with tower calling. Go around. No landing. No conflict, routine go around and landing on runway 13L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ALIGNED WITH WRONG RWY.

Narrative: CLRED FOR APCH TO RWY 13L TO FOLLOW AN SMA ON LONG FINAL OVER CITY. I WAS ON EXTENDED BASE. TURNED FINAL AND BEGAN TO RECEIVE RADIO INTERFERENCE ON TWR FREQ. POSSIBLY BROADCAST STATION BLEEDING THROUGH. TWR ADVISED OF TWO ACFT ON FINAL TO RWY 13R. I SAW ONE ACFT TO R COULD NOT LOCATE THE SEC AND ADVISED THE TWR OF NO CONTACT. BECOMING CONCERNED I LOWERED R WING LOOKING FOR ACFT I THOUGHT MIGHT BE BELOW AND TO R. STILL NO CONTACT. AS I ROLLED BACK LEVEL PICKED UP ACFT AHEAD. I ASSUMED THIS WAS ACFT I WAS FOLLOWING TO RWY 13L. I CONTINUED TO CONCENTRATE ON SPACING AND DSNT RATE. EVIDENTLY I HAD PICKED UP ACFT APCHING RWY 13R. I WAS CONCENTRATING 90 PERCENT ON ACFT AROUND ME AND ONLY 10 PERCENT ON RWY SELECTION. ACFT AHEAD ON ROLL OUT. APCHING RWY THRESHOLD I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND COMMENCED GO AROUND SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH TWR CALLING. GO AROUND. NO LNDG. NO CONFLICT, ROUTINE GO AROUND AND LNDG ON RWY 13L.

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.