Medium large transport begins visual approach to wrong parallel runway causing a potential conflict.

Attributes
ACN	221121
Time
Date	199209
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mco
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 1820
ASRS Report	221121
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	221290
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Proceeding north bocino approximately 6 NM northeast of orlando airport. Approach control asked if we had airport in sight, we confirmed we did but were actually looking at western portion of airport (runways 18L and 18R). Approach cleared us for a visual to runway 17 to remain south of the VOR and advised us an medium large transport was on final for runway 18R. We turned base (now facing late afternoon sun) at the same time orienting on the VOR, so as to remain south of, saw the medium large transport and started a gentle turn toward the airport. We were configuring for landing, watching our traffic, completing the final approach checklist, and requesting clearance to land. We received clearance to land on runway 17 and I once again asked the copilot to keep a close watch on traffic and advised him I was going to remain left of the centerline. We were actually between runway 17 and runway 18L extended ctrlines and were fixated on 18L as our runway of intended landing. Orlando tower called and advised we needed to turn to southeast and line up with runway 17. We immediately acknowledged our error, lined up, and landed on runway 17. At no time during the occurrence did we lose sight of traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG BEGINS VISUAL APCH TO WRONG PARALLEL RWY CAUSING A POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: PROCEEDING N BOCINO APPROX 6 NM NE OF ORLANDO ARPT. APCH CTL ASKED IF WE HAD ARPT IN SIGHT, WE CONFIRMED WE DID BUT WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT WESTERN PORTION OF ARPT (RWYS 18L AND 18R). APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 17 TO REMAIN S OF THE VOR AND ADVISED US AN MLG WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 18R. WE TURNED BASE (NOW FACING LATE AFTERNOON SUN) AT THE SAME TIME ORIENTING ON THE VOR, SO AS TO REMAIN S OF, SAW THE MLG AND STARTED A GENTLE TURN TOWARD THE ARPT. WE WERE CONFIGURING FOR LNDG, WATCHING OUR TFC, COMPLETING THE FINAL APCH CHKLIST, AND REQUESTING CLRNC TO LAND. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 17 AND I ONCE AGAIN ASKED THE COPLT TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON TFC AND ADVISED HIM I WAS GOING TO REMAIN L OF THE CTRLINE. WE WERE ACTUALLY BTWN RWY 17 AND RWY 18L EXTENDED CTRLINES AND WERE FIXATED ON 18L AS OUR RWY OF INTENDED LNDG. ORLANDO TWR CALLED AND ADVISED WE NEEDED TO TURN TO SE AND LINE UP WITH RWY 17. WE IMMEDIATELY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR ERROR, LINED UP, AND LANDED ON RWY 17. AT NO TIME DURING THE OCCURRENCE DID WE LOSE SIGHT OF TFC.

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.