Narrative:

Air carrier X was on radar vectors in the terminal area of atl landing east. After multiple vectors (air carrier X) was given a heading of 070 degrees to intercept the runway 9R localizer about 17-22 mi out. The copilot (myself) had put in the wrong frequency (runway 8L) and a rushed 2-MAN cockpit did not catch it even after running the approach checklist. The captain noticed a disparity between the navigation display course and the ILS. Things were happening very fast and the cockpit crew was concerned as the TCASII display showed multiple targets for a busy approach pattern. We were intercepting the wrong ILS (runway 8L) when approach queried us about being north of course and we came back that we were south of course. Approach then issued a heading of 250 degrees that did not make sense and the cockpit made a query on the validity of the heading. A subsequent heading and altitude change was issued to turn south with the frequency for the correct runway to air carrier X. During this time the captain remembers a TCASII TA. The controller seemed to be a little puzzled at what was going on, the same with the cockpit crew. Soon all seemed aware that the cockpit crew had been attempting to intercept the wrong ILS frequency to the wrong runway. Subsequent approach and landing were uneventful. I set the wrong ILS frequency because I turned my communication page to check that the correct ramp frequency was set and then I got distraction. My page was left open to the runway 8L page which is located on the right side of the 2 pages that pilots get to see. When I had previously briefed the approach, the runway 9R page was also located on the right side of the open navigation book. That is because both runways offer CAT ii's and CAT III's which are located on the back of the CAT I's. I looked where I expected to see the frequency and I saw what I expected to see. With the ATC vectoring and querying ATC, the approach check was probably rushed and the captain just copied the frequency that I had set incorrectly into his own window, and in a rushed environment it is difficult to distinguish the morse code differences between ILS frequencys.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO TUNED IN WRONG RWY LOC FREQ RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION BECAUSE OF APCH TO THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ON RADAR VECTORS IN THE TERMINAL AREA OF ATL LNDG E. AFTER MULTIPLE VECTORS (ACR X) WAS GIVEN A HDG OF 070 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 9R LOC ABOUT 17-22 MI OUT. THE COPLT (MYSELF) HAD PUT IN THE WRONG FREQ (RWY 8L) AND A RUSHED 2-MAN COCKPIT DID NOT CATCH IT EVEN AFTER RUNNING THE APCH CHKLIST. THE CAPT NOTICED A DISPARITY BTWN THE NAV DISPLAY COURSE AND THE ILS. THINGS WERE HAPPENING VERY FAST AND THE COCKPIT CREW WAS CONCERNED AS THE TCASII DISPLAY SHOWED MULTIPLE TARGETS FOR A BUSY APCH PATTERN. WE WERE INTERCEPTING THE WRONG ILS (RWY 8L) WHEN APCH QUERIED US ABOUT BEING N OF COURSE AND WE CAME BACK THAT WE WERE S OF COURSE. APCH THEN ISSUED A HDG OF 250 DEGS THAT DID NOT MAKE SENSE AND THE COCKPIT MADE A QUERY ON THE VALIDITY OF THE HDG. A SUBSEQUENT HDG AND ALT CHANGE WAS ISSUED TO TURN S WITH THE FREQ FOR THE CORRECT RWY TO ACR X. DURING THIS TIME THE CAPT REMEMBERS A TCASII TA. THE CTLR SEEMED TO BE A LITTLE PUZZLED AT WHAT WAS GOING ON, THE SAME WITH THE COCKPIT CREW. SOON ALL SEEMED AWARE THAT THE COCKPIT CREW HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO INTERCEPT THE WRONG ILS FREQ TO THE WRONG RWY. SUBSEQUENT APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. I SET THE WRONG ILS FREQ BECAUSE I TURNED MY COM PAGE TO CHK THAT THE CORRECT RAMP FREQ WAS SET AND THEN I GOT DISTR. MY PAGE WAS LEFT OPEN TO THE RWY 8L PAGE WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE R SIDE OF THE 2 PAGES THAT PLTS GET TO SEE. WHEN I HAD PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED THE APCH, THE RWY 9R PAGE WAS ALSO LOCATED ON THE R SIDE OF THE OPEN NAV BOOK. THAT IS BECAUSE BOTH RWYS OFFER CAT II'S AND CAT III'S WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE CAT I'S. I LOOKED WHERE I EXPECTED TO SEE THE FREQ AND I SAW WHAT I EXPECTED TO SEE. WITH THE ATC VECTORING AND QUERYING ATC, THE APCH CHK WAS PROBABLY RUSHED AND THE CAPT JUST COPIED THE FREQ THAT I HAD SET INCORRECTLY INTO HIS OWN WINDOW, AND IN A RUSHED ENVIRONMENT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH THE MORSE CODE DIFFERENCES BTWN ILS FREQS.

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.