Wrong runway approach started in a night operation until controller intervention.

Attributes
ACN	359920
Time
Date	199702
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2900 msl bound upper : 2900
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	359920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being vectored for an ILS approach to runway 36R at clt. We had briefed the approach and were set up for it. Abeam the airport on downwind leg, we were told that we would be landing on runway 36L at clt. We changed the approach in the FMC and briefed the approach to runway 36L, and evidently inadvertently failed to set the new ILS frequency in the navigation radios. We had intercepted the localizer for runway 36R when the controller told us to turn 10 degrees left to intercept the localizer. It was at that point we realized we were approaching the wrong runway and would be unable to capture the GS for runway 36L, as we were too high. We executed a missed approach procedure and were vectored around for a normal approach and landing on runway 36L. In the future I will have to be more careful to insure that this entire approach and briefing procedure is properly completed when a runway change is made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY APCH STARTED IN A NIGHT OP UNTIL CTLR INTERVENTION.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 36R AT CLT. WE HAD BRIEFED THE APCH AND WERE SET UP FOR IT. ABEAM THE ARPT ON DOWNWIND LEG, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG ON RWY 36L AT CLT. WE CHANGED THE APCH IN THE FMC AND BRIEFED THE APCH TO RWY 36L, AND EVIDENTLY INADVERTENTLY FAILED TO SET THE NEW ILS FREQ IN THE NAV RADIOS. WE HAD INTERCEPTED THE LOC FOR RWY 36R WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN 10 DEGS L TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. IT WAS AT THAT POINT WE REALIZED WE WERE APCHING THE WRONG RWY AND WOULD BE UNABLE TO CAPTURE THE GS FOR RWY 36L, AS WE WERE TOO HIGH. WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH PROC AND WERE VECTORED AROUND FOR A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 36L. IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE TO BE MORE CAREFUL TO INSURE THAT THIS ENTIRE APCH AND BRIEFING PROC IS PROPERLY COMPLETED WHEN A RWY CHANGE IS MADE.

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.