Narrative:

Flight was being vectored form robert intersection to the localizer. This whole situation was very confusing at the time and is even more difficult to sort out now. The controller told us to expect vectors through the 19R localizer to 19L. The captain put in the localizer to 19R (111.3) in the standby position of the navs. I was just starting the approach checklist. We were about 30-40 mi out, the captain was flying and there was a layered ceiling that we popped in and out of. Golf was current. We were on a southerly heading when ATC gave us several left and right turns between 100 degrees to 280 degrees, each time telling us to re- intercept the localizer. During the turns, we put 111.3 into the active frequency box. After the third turn, we popped out and I saw a widebody transport ahead and below us. While no evasive action was required, it was close enough to surprise me that ATC gave no TA. It then became obvious why we were getting the delay vectors -- he was trying to put the widebody transport in front of us. The captain was already irritated at the handling and had requested a phone number to call on the ground for an explanation. Unfortunately, the captain again lost his temper on frequency and then 'queried the controller.' ATC said the widebody transport was at least 1000 ft below us. We received at least 3 more large turns through the localizer before we were cleared for the ILS 19L approach. We everything going on (busy frequency, multiple aircraft inbound, vectors) coupled with my newness to the aircraft (second week on line) and the area (I am from the west coast), I did not compute the last item of the approach check, which is 'radios/navs idented.' so now, we were established on the 19R localizer and cleared for the 19L approach. ATC did not notice and switched us to tower. We reported on frequency and the tower controller asked us to verify the navigation frequency. At that point, I realized I never idented the localizer frequency. We started a go around and the controller had us go missed at the same time. The captain wanted to know how the frequency got in there and I told him didn't touch it, but never idented it either. We went back to the approach controller (a different one than before) who told us to expect vectors for the 19R approach. You can bet it was set up right this time! We had normal turns this time, each time saying expect 19R. When we received our final approach clearance, with no warning, we were cleared to 19L. What a mess. We confirmed and landed on 19L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY APCH AFTER MUCH RADAR VECTORING FOR TFC SPACING CTL FOR IN TRAIL SEPARATION FOR IAP ILS APCH.

Narrative: FLT WAS BEING VECTORED FORM ROBERT INTXN TO THE LOC. THIS WHOLE SIT WAS VERY CONFUSING AT THE TIME AND IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO SORT OUT NOW. THE CTLR TOLD US TO EXPECT VECTORS THROUGH THE 19R LOC TO 19L. THE CAPT PUT IN THE LOC TO 19R (111.3) IN THE STANDBY POS OF THE NAVS. I WAS JUST STARTING THE APCH CHKLIST. WE WERE ABOUT 30-40 MI OUT, THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND THERE WAS A LAYERED CEILING THAT WE POPPED IN AND OUT OF. GOLF WAS CURRENT. WE WERE ON A SOUTHERLY HDG WHEN ATC GAVE US SEVERAL L AND R TURNS BTWN 100 DEGS TO 280 DEGS, EACH TIME TELLING US TO RE- INTERCEPT THE LOC. DURING THE TURNS, WE PUT 111.3 INTO THE ACTIVE FREQ BOX. AFTER THE THIRD TURN, WE POPPED OUT AND I SAW A WDB AHEAD AND BELOW US. WHILE NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED, IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO SURPRISE ME THAT ATC GAVE NO TA. IT THEN BECAME OBVIOUS WHY WE WERE GETTING THE DELAY VECTORS -- HE WAS TRYING TO PUT THE WDB IN FRONT OF US. THE CAPT WAS ALREADY IRRITATED AT THE HANDLING AND HAD REQUESTED A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON THE GND FOR AN EXPLANATION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAPT AGAIN LOST HIS TEMPER ON FREQ AND THEN 'QUERIED THE CTLR.' ATC SAID THE WDB WAS AT LEAST 1000 FT BELOW US. WE RECEIVED AT LEAST 3 MORE LARGE TURNS THROUGH THE LOC BEFORE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS 19L APCH. WE EVERYTHING GOING ON (BUSY FREQ, MULTIPLE ACFT INBOUND, VECTORS) COUPLED WITH MY NEWNESS TO THE ACFT (SECOND WK ON LINE) AND THE AREA (I AM FROM THE W COAST), I DID NOT COMPUTE THE LAST ITEM OF THE APCH CHK, WHICH IS 'RADIOS/NAVS IDENTED.' SO NOW, WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE 19R LOC AND CLRED FOR THE 19L APCH. ATC DID NOT NOTICE AND SWITCHED US TO TWR. WE RPTED ON FREQ AND THE TWR CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY THE NAV FREQ. AT THAT POINT, I REALIZED I NEVER IDENTED THE LOC FREQ. WE STARTED A GAR AND THE CTLR HAD US GO MISSED AT THE SAME TIME. THE CAPT WANTED TO KNOW HOW THE FREQ GOT IN THERE AND I TOLD HIM DIDN'T TOUCH IT, BUT NEVER IDENTED IT EITHER. WE WENT BACK TO THE APCH CTLR (A DIFFERENT ONE THAN BEFORE) WHO TOLD US TO EXPECT VECTORS FOR THE 19R APCH. YOU CAN BET IT WAS SET UP RIGHT THIS TIME! WE HAD NORMAL TURNS THIS TIME, EACH TIME SAYING EXPECT 19R. WHEN WE RECEIVED OUR FINAL APCH CLRNC, WITH NO WARNING, WE WERE CLRED TO 19L. WHAT A MESS. WE CONFIRMED AND LANDED ON 19L.

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.