Large transport flight crew is given a clearance to circle to land runway 21 at tus after completing their ILS runway 11 approach. Flight crew mindsets on runway 29 even though they heard 2 on the ATIS and from the controller. Flight crew realizes mistake passing abeam approach end of runway 21 and maneuvers to a landing with the help of ATC.

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Attributes
ACN	205248
Time
Date	199203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tus
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	205248
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR arrival. Captain picks up ATIS, ILS to 11 or visual approachs in use circle to 21. I glance at ATIS card and think circle to land 29. (11-29) is the main runway at tus with shorter 21-03 crossing. Winds 200 degree at 12 KTS. Neither captain nor I have ever landed on runway 21 in a combined 18 yrs of flying. We discussed if we should circle north over city or south away from town. Tower clears us to 'circle to 21' but we are both still thinking 29. As we pass extended centerline for runway 21 at approximately 1500 ft AGL it hits both of us our mistake. We tell tower we've passed final for 21 and request a left turn to left base entry for 21. Because of military field north of tucson international we are told to keep on flight path south of freeway. Therefore we elected to make a right 270 degree turn followed by a left base. Landed without further embarrassment. Lesson: we heard what we expected to hear and did what we expected to do -- very dangerous.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLC IS GIVEN A CLRNC TO CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 21 AT TUS AFTER COMPLETING THEIR ILS RWY 11 APCH. FLC MINDSETS ON RWY 29 EVEN THOUGH THEY HEARD 2 ON THE ATIS AND FROM THE CTLR. FLC REALIZES MISTAKE PASSING ABEAM APCH END OF RWY 21 AND MANEUVERS TO A LNDG WITH THE HELP OF ATC.

Narrative: VFR ARR. CAPT PICKS UP ATIS, ILS TO 11 OR VISUAL APCHS IN USE CIRCLE TO 21. I GLANCE AT ATIS CARD AND THINK CIRCLE TO LAND 29. (11-29) IS THE MAIN RWY AT TUS WITH SHORTER 21-03 XING. WINDS 200 DEG AT 12 KTS. NEITHER CAPT NOR I HAVE EVER LANDED ON RWY 21 IN A COMBINED 18 YRS OF FLYING. WE DISCUSSED IF WE SHOULD CIRCLE N OVER CITY OR S AWAY FROM TOWN. TWR CLRS US TO 'CIRCLE TO 21' BUT WE ARE BOTH STILL THINKING 29. AS WE PASS EXTENDED CTRLINE FOR RWY 21 AT APPROX 1500 FT AGL IT HITS BOTH OF US OUR MISTAKE. WE TELL TWR WE'VE PASSED FINAL FOR 21 AND REQUEST A L TURN TO L BASE ENTRY FOR 21. BECAUSE OF MIL FIELD N OF TUCSON INTL WE ARE TOLD TO KEEP ON FLT PATH S OF FREEWAY. THEREFORE WE ELECTED TO MAKE A R 270 DEG TURN FOLLOWED BY A L BASE. LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER EMBARRASSMENT. LESSON: WE HEARD WHAT WE EXPECTED TO HEAR AND DID WHAT WE EXPECTED TO DO -- VERY DANGEROUS.

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.