Narrative:

Dfw approach cleared us direct to the OM for ILS runway 17L at dfw (dfw has 4 parallel runways) and turned us over to tower. We were approaching from the northeast at approximately 45 degrees to the ILS when we thought dfw tower switched us to runway 17R. Unlike approach, the tower xmissions was very garbled and broken. We dialed in the ILS for runway 17R but were unable to receive a signal. After some time and discussion, we elected to re-enter the frequency for runway 17L. By now, we had passed the OM and we turned onto final, visually lining up on what we thought was runway 17R. It was actually runway 18R as we had unknowingly passed both east side runways while attempting to identify runway 17R ILS. We concentrated on the visual landing profile and made a normal and uneventful landing. We were aware of only one other aircraft that landed ahead of us. It was only after exiting the runway and beginning the taxi did we realize we had landed on runway 18R instead of runway 17R. No mention was ever made by tower or ground control (which was also broken and garbled and staffed by the same individual who was working tower) and we are still not sure we did indeed land on the incorrect runway. In retrospect, it is clear we became distracted and absorbed in trying to enter and use the ILS frequency for the runway of intended use. Only after the event did we learn that our aircraft navigation radio was not equipped to receive frequencys with the 0.05 spacing required for runway 17R ILS frequency of 111.35. This navigational handicap had not been disclosed nor addressed by our company. This led us to divert too much time and attention, used precious time, and set us up for the fall.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG LANDED ON THE RWY AT NIGHT DUE TO DISTR ON ATTEMPTING TO TUNE IN THE NEWLY ASSIGNED RWY ILS FREQ.

Narrative: DFW APCH CLRED US DIRECT TO THE OM FOR ILS RWY 17L AT DFW (DFW HAS 4 PARALLEL RWYS) AND TURNED US OVER TO TWR. WE WERE APCHING FROM THE NE AT APPROX 45 DEGS TO THE ILS WHEN WE THOUGHT DFW TWR SWITCHED US TO RWY 17R. UNLIKE APCH, THE TWR XMISSIONS WAS VERY GARBLED AND BROKEN. WE DIALED IN THE ILS FOR RWY 17R BUT WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE A SIGNAL. AFTER SOME TIME AND DISCUSSION, WE ELECTED TO RE-ENTER THE FREQ FOR RWY 17L. BY NOW, WE HAD PASSED THE OM AND WE TURNED ONTO FINAL, VISUALLY LINING UP ON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS RWY 17R. IT WAS ACTUALLY RWY 18R AS WE HAD UNKNOWINGLY PASSED BOTH E SIDE RWYS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO IDENT RWY 17R ILS. WE CONCENTRATED ON THE VISUAL LNDG PROFILE AND MADE A NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL LNDG. WE WERE AWARE OF ONLY ONE OTHER ACFT THAT LANDED AHEAD OF US. IT WAS ONLY AFTER EXITING THE RWY AND BEGINNING THE TAXI DID WE REALIZE WE HAD LANDED ON RWY 18R INSTEAD OF RWY 17R. NO MENTION WAS EVER MADE BY TWR OR GND CTL (WHICH WAS ALSO BROKEN AND GARBLED AND STAFFED BY THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS WORKING TWR) AND WE ARE STILL NOT SURE WE DID INDEED LAND ON THE INCORRECT RWY. IN RETROSPECT, IT IS CLR WE BECAME DISTRACTED AND ABSORBED IN TRYING TO ENTER AND USE THE ILS FREQ FOR THE RWY OF INTENDED USE. ONLY AFTER THE EVENT DID WE LEARN THAT OUR ACFT NAV RADIO WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO RECEIVE FREQS WITH THE 0.05 SPACING REQUIRED FOR RWY 17R ILS FREQ OF 111.35. THIS NAVIGATIONAL HANDICAP HAD NOT BEEN DISCLOSED NOR ADDRESSED BY OUR COMPANY. THIS LED US TO DIVERT TOO MUCH TIME AND ATTN, USED PRECIOUS TIME, AND SET US UP FOR THE FALL.

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.