Narrative:

During our descent, my first officer got the ATIS and told me bos was landing ILS 4R. We then were told to expect ILS 4R transition to 4L. So we set up the radios accordingly. Then, after numerous vectors from bos approach, we were given an altitude and heading to intercept the 15R localizer circle to land 4L. At this time we were about 5 DME from bos airport. He (approach) also told us to call the field in sight. So then we set our radios up for 15R ILS and began to track inbound. Then I noticed that the EFIS didn't have enough time to capture the GS and we got a GS flag. I then began a descent when the GS started to capture. Then at approximately. 2000 ft AGL we popped out of the clouds and directly below us was bos logan international. We called the tower and told them we had the airport in sight. He immediately gave us a climb and handed us over to departure. We got vectored for 4R and landed safely. After clearing the runway, we were told to call the tower supervisor, which I did. He wanted to know why we were over the field at 1500 ft and not talking to anyone. I told him what our initial clearance was, and they (approach) changed it without telling us (i.e. Runway 15R ILS instead of 4R ILS). They also forgot to tell us to go to tower until it was too late. Better communication between bos approach and us would never have let this happen, it could have been much worse.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT MAKES A MISSED APCH WHEN THE CIRCLING APCH IS NOT COMPLETED.

Narrative: DURING OUR DSCNT, MY FO GOT THE ATIS AND TOLD ME BOS WAS LNDG ILS 4R. WE THEN WERE TOLD TO EXPECT ILS 4R TRANSITION TO 4L. SO WE SET UP THE RADIOS ACCORDINGLY. THEN, AFTER NUMEROUS VECTORS FROM BOS APCH, WE WERE GIVEN AN ALT AND HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 15R LOC CIRCLE TO LAND 4L. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 5 DME FROM BOS ARPT. HE (APCH) ALSO TOLD US TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT. SO THEN WE SET OUR RADIOS UP FOR 15R ILS AND BEGAN TO TRACK INBOUND. THEN I NOTICED THAT THE EFIS DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CAPTURE THE GS AND WE GOT A GS FLAG. I THEN BEGAN A DSCNT WHEN THE GS STARTED TO CAPTURE. THEN AT APPROX. 2000 FT AGL WE POPPED OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND DIRECTLY BELOW US WAS BOS LOGAN INTL. WE CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. HE IMMEDIATELY GAVE US A CLB AND HANDED US OVER TO DEP. WE GOT VECTORED FOR 4R AND LANDED SAFELY. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, WE WERE TOLD TO CALL THE TWR SUPVR, WHICH I DID. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE WERE OVER THE FIELD AT 1500 FT AND NOT TALKING TO ANYONE. I TOLD HIM WHAT OUR INITIAL CLRNC WAS, AND THEY (APCH) CHANGED IT WITHOUT TELLING US (I.E. RWY 15R ILS INSTEAD OF 4R ILS). THEY ALSO FORGOT TO TELL US TO GO TO TWR UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. BETTER COM BTWN BOS APCH AND US WOULD NEVER HAVE LET THIS HAPPEN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.

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.