Narrative:

While on an lda approach and after being cleared for a visual to 12L at st louis was advised caution for wake turbulence of departing heavy on 12R. There was a moment of confusion as to why this should affect this flight unless I was headed for 12R. I could not visually identify 12R due to the angle of approach and the intense light structure plus the backdrop of the lights from the terminal. I then ask the first officer to help me determine if I was headed for the correct runway. He hesitated for a moment and apparently his assessment was the same as mine. He then said about twice (it's the left one, the left one). I turned slightly left and lined up with a lighted parallel runway that I now know as 13. I continued with a normal approach and landing. Just after touchdown the tower said to go around if I could. It was too late. I continued with normal reverse and rollout. It is obvious to me that the wake turbulence advisory by the tower is what triggered my doubts as to which runway I was lining up on. The angle of approach, combined with the maze of lights making myself and the first officer unable to identify 12R plus the convenient lighted location of 13 were all contributing factors leading up to the landing on the wrong runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NIGHT OP LNDG RWY 13 VERSUS RWY 12L.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN LDA APCH AND AFTER BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL TO 12L AT ST LOUIS WAS ADVISED CAUTION FOR WAKE TURB OF DEPARTING HVY ON 12R. THERE WAS A MOMENT OF CONFUSION AS TO WHY THIS SHOULD AFFECT THIS FLT UNLESS I WAS HEADED FOR 12R. I COULD NOT VISUALLY IDENT 12R DUE TO THE ANGLE OF APCH AND THE INTENSE LIGHT STRUCTURE PLUS THE BACKDROP OF THE LIGHTS FROM THE TERMINAL. I THEN ASK THE FO TO HELP ME DETERMINE IF I WAS HEADED FOR THE CORRECT RWY. HE HESITATED FOR A MOMENT AND APPARENTLY HIS ASSESSMENT WAS THE SAME AS MINE. HE THEN SAID ABOUT TWICE (IT'S THE L ONE, THE L ONE). I TURNED SLIGHTLY L AND LINED UP WITH A LIGHTED PARALLEL RWY THAT I NOW KNOW AS 13. I CONTINUED WITH A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE TWR SAID TO GAR IF I COULD. IT WAS TOO LATE. I CONTINUED WITH NORMAL REVERSE AND ROLLOUT. IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THE WAKE TURB ADVISORY BY THE TWR IS WHAT TRIGGERED MY DOUBTS AS TO WHICH RWY I WAS LINING UP ON. THE ANGLE OF APCH, COMBINED WITH THE MAZE OF LIGHTS MAKING MYSELF AND THE FO UNABLE TO IDENT 12R PLUS THE CONVENIENT LIGHTED LOCATION OF 13 WERE ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS LEADING UP TO THE LNDG ON THE WRONG RWY.

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.