Air carrier large transport wrong runway approach at den.

Attributes
ACN	179243
Time
Date	199105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	179243
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying into den planning to land on runway 17L. The FMC was set up for the ILS 17L. We were cleared for a visibility approach to 17R. Because I had planned on an approach to 17L, I found myself high for 17R. At this time I got very busy getting the aircraft on the proper profile and didn't ask the first officer to set up 17R on the FMC. This was our first leg together and he was new on the aircraft. I didn't want our attention inside the cockpit. When turning base leg, I started looking for the runway outside the first officer side window. I saw 2 runways and turned to line up with the right one. The VASI showed me high. While doing the landing checklist and trying to get on profile, the tower called and said we had line dup with runway 17 and that we could make a right turn for a right pattern for 17R, which we did west/O any problem. Reasons I feel this happened: 1) I was tired. First night working after a week of normal sleep. 2) overconfidence. Even though I hadn't flown an approach to 17R at night in approximately 3 yrs, I didn't review the airport layout or runway lighting and VASI. So when I saw only 2 runways I took the right one for 17R. 3) everything looked normal to the first officer and he had flown this same trip 2 weeks earlier, but he had just checked out as first officer on the large transport and this was the start of his second series of trips.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT WRONG RWY APCH AT DEN.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING INTO DEN PLANNING TO LAND ON RWY 17L. THE FMC WAS SET UP FOR THE ILS 17L. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VIS APCH TO 17R. BECAUSE I HAD PLANNED ON AN APCH TO 17L, I FOUND MYSELF HIGH FOR 17R. AT THIS TIME I GOT VERY BUSY GETTING THE ACFT ON THE PROPER PROFILE AND DIDN'T ASK THE F/O TO SET UP 17R ON THE FMC. THIS WAS OUR FIRST LEG TOGETHER AND HE WAS NEW ON THE ACFT. I DIDN'T WANT OUR ATTN INSIDE THE COCKPIT. WHEN TURNING BASE LEG, I STARTED LOOKING FOR THE RWY OUTSIDE THE F/O SIDE WINDOW. I SAW 2 RWYS AND TURNED TO LINE UP WITH THE RIGHT ONE. THE VASI SHOWED ME HIGH. WHILE DOING THE LNDG CHKLIST AND TRYING TO GET ON PROFILE, THE TWR CALLED AND SAID WE HAD LINE DUP WITH RWY 17 AND THAT WE COULD MAKE A RIGHT TURN FOR A RIGHT PATTERN FOR 17R, WHICH WE DID W/O ANY PROB. REASONS I FEEL THIS HAPPENED: 1) I WAS TIRED. FIRST NIGHT WORKING AFTER A WK OF NORMAL SLEEP. 2) OVERCONFIDENCE. EVEN THOUGH I HADN'T FLOWN AN APCH TO 17R AT NIGHT IN APPROX 3 YRS, I DIDN'T REVIEW THE ARPT LAYOUT OR RWY LIGHTING AND VASI. SO WHEN I SAW ONLY 2 RWYS I TOOK THE RIGHT ONE FOR 17R. 3) EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL TO THE F/O AND HE HAD FLOWN THIS SAME TRIP 2 WKS EARLIER, BUT HE HAD JUST CHKED OUT AS F/O ON THE LGT AND THIS WAS THE START OF HIS SECOND SERIES OF TRIPS.

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.