Corp aircraft begins visual approach to a new runway under construction.

Attributes
ACN	249970
Time
Date	199308
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sbn
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sbn
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	249970
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

PF was cleared for a visual approach for runway 9 after I announced I had the airport in sight. I was at the copilot station and the PF was at the pilot's station. Since we were in a r-hand traffic pattern for the airport, the PF could not see the airport. After being cleared for the visual approach, I called out the turns for the PF so he would be lined up for runway 9. On final approach and upon completion of the before landing checklist, I noticed equipment on the runway. I called for a level off and upon further examination found the runway was X'd off to indicate a closed runway. I advised the tower that we were executing a go around and received clearance for landing on runway 27. It was not until that instant that I noticed there were now 2 runways, 9 and 27. The runway we had lined up on for landing is a new runway being constructed to the north of the existing runway 9/27. I have used the sbn airport several times in the past and have landed there several times in the last 6 months. However, the last few times I have landed at sbn the WX was bad enough that the new runway was not visible from the existing runway. One way we could have prevented the confusion would have been to accept the instrument approach when offered it. Another way to prevent this occurrence would be for a message about the new unusable runway to be included on the ATIS. A diagram of the new runway on the approach charts would be a great way of preventing this, or even a NOTAM (not an fdc NOTAM) explaining the existence of a closed runway would be very handy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT BEGINS VISUAL APCH TO A NEW RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

Narrative: PF WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 9 AFTER I ANNOUNCED I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I WAS AT THE COPLT STATION AND THE PF WAS AT THE PLT'S STATION. SINCE WE WERE IN A R-HAND TFC PATTERN FOR THE ARPT, THE PF COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH, I CALLED OUT THE TURNS FOR THE PF SO HE WOULD BE LINED UP FOR RWY 9. ON FINAL APCH AND UPON COMPLETION OF THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST, I NOTICED EQUIP ON THE RWY. I CALLED FOR A LEVEL OFF AND UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION FOUND THE RWY WAS X'D OFF TO INDICATE A CLOSED RWY. I ADVISED THE TWR THAT WE WERE EXECUTING A GAR AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR LNDG ON RWY 27. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THAT INSTANT THAT I NOTICED THERE WERE NOW 2 RWYS, 9 AND 27. THE RWY WE HAD LINED UP ON FOR LNDG IS A NEW RWY BEING CONSTRUCTED TO THE N OF THE EXISTING RWY 9/27. I HAVE USED THE SBN ARPT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST AND HAVE LANDED THERE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. HOWEVER, THE LAST FEW TIMES I HAVE LANDED AT SBN THE WX WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE NEW RWY WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE EXISTING RWY. ONE WAY WE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE CONFUSION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO ACCEPT THE INST APCH WHEN OFFERED IT. ANOTHER WAY TO PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD BE FOR A MESSAGE ABOUT THE NEW UNUSABLE RWY TO BE INCLUDED ON THE ATIS. A DIAGRAM OF THE NEW RWY ON THE APCH CHARTS WOULD BE A GREAT WAY OF PREVENTING THIS, OR EVEN A NOTAM (NOT AN FDC NOTAM) EXPLAINING THE EXISTENCE OF A CLOSED RWY WOULD BE VERY HANDY.

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.