Narrative:

Arriving via bradford 1 STAR. ATIS received. WX clear and visibility unlimited. Approachs ILS 9R and ILS 4R. Crew briefed 9R ILS approach. Shortly after departing bradford, approach controller gave a 040 heading, descent to 7000 ft for vectors to ILS 9R. Next heading was 070 to intercept 9R localizer and descent to 5000 ft. Distance from ord is about 18 mi. 9R ILS is idented by both pilots. The next events happened approximately simultaneously and in about this order: on a 070 heading and leveling at 5000 ft, I looked outside to try and see airport, but to no avail. First officer called localizer alive, which suddenly went from full left to about 1 DOT right. Started turn through a 90 heading to reintercept localizer. Localizer and GS flags appeared (fail flags). Controller cleared us for approach, descend to 4000 ft and maintain 4000 ft to naper (not a fix on 9R ILS). Started descent to 4000 ft on about a 110 degree heading and TCASII gave a TA and showed target 2 O'clock at 500 ft. Immediately climbed to and through 5000 ft and advised controller. Aircraft was at a low altitude of about 4700 ft. Controller said we were about 2 mi right of final approach course. He then vectored us to follow traffic. It was now we realized he had been vectoring us for a 4R ILS, although twice he had said 9R. A normal landing was made and we discussed the arrival with approach control supervisor. There was an acm in cockpit but he did not have headset on. From now on, will either put on cockpit speaker or insist that acm's wear headset and stay involved in radio/traffic monitoring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT HEARS RWY ASSIGNMENT AS RWY 9R, BUT CTLR GIVES 4R, ACFT MAKES UNAUTHORIZED TURN RESULTING IN LTSS.

Narrative: ARRIVING VIA BRADFORD 1 STAR. ATIS RECEIVED. WX CLR AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. APCHS ILS 9R AND ILS 4R. CREW BRIEFED 9R ILS APCH. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING BRADFORD, APCH CTLR GAVE A 040 HDG, DSCNT TO 7000 FT FOR VECTORS TO ILS 9R. NEXT HDG WAS 070 TO INTERCEPT 9R LOC AND DSCNT TO 5000 FT. DISTANCE FROM ORD IS ABOUT 18 MI. 9R ILS IS IDENTED BY BOTH PLTS. THE NEXT EVENTS HAPPENED APPROX SIMULTANEOUSLY AND IN ABOUT THIS ORDER: ON A 070 HDG AND LEVELING AT 5000 FT, I LOOKED OUTSIDE TO TRY AND SEE ARPT, BUT TO NO AVAIL. FO CALLED LOC ALIVE, WHICH SUDDENLY WENT FROM FULL L TO ABOUT 1 DOT R. STARTED TURN THROUGH A 90 HDG TO REINTERCEPT LOC. LOC AND GS FLAGS APPEARED (FAIL FLAGS). CTLR CLRED US FOR APCH, DSND TO 4000 FT AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT TO NAPER (NOT A FIX ON 9R ILS). STARTED DSCNT TO 4000 FT ON ABOUT A 110 DEG HDG AND TCASII GAVE A TA AND SHOWED TARGET 2 O'CLOCK AT 500 FT. IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO AND THROUGH 5000 FT AND ADVISED CTLR. ACFT WAS AT A LOW ALT OF ABOUT 4700 FT. CTLR SAID WE WERE ABOUT 2 MI R OF FINAL APCH COURSE. HE THEN VECTORED US TO FOLLOW TFC. IT WAS NOW WE REALIZED HE HAD BEEN VECTORING US FOR A 4R ILS, ALTHOUGH TWICE HE HAD SAID 9R. A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE AND WE DISCUSSED THE ARR WITH APCH CTL SUPVR. THERE WAS AN ACM IN COCKPIT BUT HE DID NOT HAVE HEADSET ON. FROM NOW ON, WILL EITHER PUT ON COCKPIT SPEAKER OR INSIST THAT ACM'S WEAR HEADSET AND STAY INVOLVED IN RADIO/TFC MONITORING.

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.