Narrative:

Chicago was landing ILS runway 27L/right. The first officer and I were set up for runway 27L and were tracking inbound on the runway 27L localizer. I believe we were outside waive (14.9 DME) at 5000 ft. Ord approach informed us that we were cleared for the runway 27R, not the runway 27L, and to tune 110.5 and turn right to 300 degrees to intercept, which we immediately did. About 15-30 seconds later, they told us to turn to 320 degrees for the intercept, again, which we immediately did. Very shortly after the 320 degree instruction, we were climbed 1000 ft and vectored out of the pattern for another runway 27R approach. All aircraft navaids were functioning normally and TCASII was operational. At no time were we informed of any conflict. Obviously, 2 well trained airline pilots do not intentionally set up for an approach to the wrong runway. We believed that we were cleared for runway 27L and had set up for and briefed runway 27L. I believe 2 factors could have contributed to this incident. 1) ord is inconsistent in assigning landing runways. You could come in from the same direction, same WX, wind, etc, 3 times in the same day and land on 3 different runways. 2) when the commercial approach plates are opened up, runway 27L and runway 27R are lying side- by-side. You can glance down and look at the wrong frequency. Same is true of runway 4R/left, runway 9R/left, etc. They should not be side-by-side in the approach plates. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting captain acknowledges that his crew dialed in the wrong ILS frequency. He wonders why ARTCC did not notice that he was on the wrong ILS for several mins. There will be a hearing in about 2 weeks. The reporter reiterates that ord approach can run people around the air for some time before setting up an approach and that it can get very confusing with several runways in use at the same time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW LINED UP ON THE WRONG ILS AT ORD.

Narrative: CHICAGO WAS LNDG ILS RWY 27L/R. THE FO AND I WERE SET UP FOR RWY 27L AND WERE TRACKING INBOUND ON THE RWY 27L LOC. I BELIEVE WE WERE OUTSIDE WAIVE (14.9 DME) AT 5000 FT. ORD APCH INFORMED US THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE RWY 27R, NOT THE RWY 27L, AND TO TUNE 110.5 AND TURN R TO 300 DEGS TO INTERCEPT, WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY DID. ABOUT 15-30 SECONDS LATER, THEY TOLD US TO TURN TO 320 DEGS FOR THE INTERCEPT, AGAIN, WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY DID. VERY SHORTLY AFTER THE 320 DEG INSTRUCTION, WE WERE CLBED 1000 FT AND VECTORED OUT OF THE PATTERN FOR ANOTHER RWY 27R APCH. ALL ACFT NAVAIDS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AND TCASII WAS OPERATIONAL. AT NO TIME WERE WE INFORMED OF ANY CONFLICT. OBVIOUSLY, 2 WELL TRAINED AIRLINE PLTS DO NOT INTENTIONALLY SET UP FOR AN APCH TO THE WRONG RWY. WE BELIEVED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR RWY 27L AND HAD SET UP FOR AND BRIEFED RWY 27L. I BELIEVE 2 FACTORS COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. 1) ORD IS INCONSISTENT IN ASSIGNING LNDG RWYS. YOU COULD COME IN FROM THE SAME DIRECTION, SAME WX, WIND, ETC, 3 TIMES IN THE SAME DAY AND LAND ON 3 DIFFERENT RWYS. 2) WHEN THE COMMERCIAL APCH PLATES ARE OPENED UP, RWY 27L AND RWY 27R ARE LYING SIDE- BY-SIDE. YOU CAN GLANCE DOWN AND LOOK AT THE WRONG FREQ. SAME IS TRUE OF RWY 4R/L, RWY 9R/L, ETC. THEY SHOULD NOT BE SIDE-BY-SIDE IN THE APCH PLATES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING CAPT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HIS CREW DIALED IN THE WRONG ILS FREQ. HE WONDERS WHY ARTCC DID NOT NOTICE THAT HE WAS ON THE WRONG ILS FOR SEVERAL MINS. THERE WILL BE A HEARING IN ABOUT 2 WKS. THE RPTR REITERATES THAT ORD APCH CAN RUN PEOPLE AROUND THE AIR FOR SOME TIME BEFORE SETTING UP AN APCH AND THAT IT CAN GET VERY CONFUSING WITH SEVERAL RWYS IN USE AT THE SAME TIME.

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.