Narrative:

This flight was a lifeguard flight from phl to ewr. The WX at both airports was low IFR due to fog. The flight proceeded without any problems. I was well rested and alert. 30 mi from ewr my copilot and I tuned in ATIS. Approach control gave us a radar vector after passing ard. We were told by approach to expect the ILS runway 4R approach. I requested the copilot to review the approach plate with me. The briefing by the copilot started with a description of the missed approach procedure. I stopped the copilot and informed him the briefing should start with the primary information first. I said 'start from the top of the page.' I glanced at the chart to confirm he was looking at the ewr runway 4R approach page. I did not confirm that he was reading the information from that page. I assumed he was reviewing the runway 4R approach with me. I tuned in the localizer frequency. He stated I selected the identify to confirm the frequency. The copilot reviewed MDA, decision ht, time, and missed approach procedure. I intercepted the localizer, then the GS. Copilot was calling out altitudes. The copilot was looking out for the runway lights. At about 270 ft the copilot called out 'runway in sight to the right.' I said 'that's not possible.' then copilot saw the runway lights directly in front of us and said 'runway in sight.' I landed without incident and the tower controller asked 'what runway were you assigned?' I said 'runway 4R.' I looked over at my copilot and asked 'what localizer did you select?' he said 'oops, sorry.' actions: I should have removed the approach plate from my book, and confirmed we had the correct approach plate. I assumed the non flying copilot would have the proper chart. Human factors: copilot may have been fatigued. He made several errors throughout the flight that I commented on. I assumed the errors were due to low time. Copilot was used to government chart format, and not used to other aeronautical format charts which I use. Lesson: always be a skeptic. This was a major mistake! Supplemental information from acn 362547: lack of confidence in my knowledge and feeling inferior to the captain could have caused a very serious situation. I believe I originally selected the right approach chart and that the page accidentally turned. This captain uses other aeronautical charts and I was taught and used government charts during my training and all 6 of the other capts use the government charts. Maybe the company should standardize the procedures by having all capts use the same equipment and procedures. (Earlier he asked for the approach information and I was taught and use the 'mgfiat' procedure: missed approach procedures, guidance for approach, frequencys and FAF, initial approach fix, altitudes (approach, stepdowns, and MDA or decision ht), time for approach. As soon as I started this he got upset and was putting me in that inferior feeling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIFEGUARD PA31 MAKES A WRONG RWY APCH AND LNDG AT EWR. FO WAS FAIRLY NEW AND LOW TIME ON EQUIP. USED WRONG APCH PAGE FOR BRIEFING PIC. FELT INTIMIDATED BY PIC. PIC DID NOT LOOK AT HIS OWN CHART.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS A LIFEGUARD FLT FROM PHL TO EWR. THE WX AT BOTH ARPTS WAS LOW IFR DUE TO FOG. THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT ANY PROBS. I WAS WELL RESTED AND ALERT. 30 MI FROM EWR MY COPLT AND I TUNED IN ATIS. APCH CTL GAVE US A RADAR VECTOR AFTER PASSING ARD. WE WERE TOLD BY APCH TO EXPECT THE ILS RWY 4R APCH. I REQUESTED THE COPLT TO REVIEW THE APCH PLATE WITH ME. THE BRIEFING BY THE COPLT STARTED WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE MISSED APCH PROC. I STOPPED THE COPLT AND INFORMED HIM THE BRIEFING SHOULD START WITH THE PRIMARY INFO FIRST. I SAID 'START FROM THE TOP OF THE PAGE.' I GLANCED AT THE CHART TO CONFIRM HE WAS LOOKING AT THE EWR RWY 4R APCH PAGE. I DID NOT CONFIRM THAT HE WAS READING THE INFO FROM THAT PAGE. I ASSUMED HE WAS REVIEWING THE RWY 4R APCH WITH ME. I TUNED IN THE LOC FREQ. HE STATED I SELECTED THE IDENT TO CONFIRM THE FREQ. THE COPLT REVIEWED MDA, DECISION HT, TIME, AND MISSED APCH PROC. I INTERCEPTED THE LOC, THEN THE GS. COPLT WAS CALLING OUT ALTS. THE COPLT WAS LOOKING OUT FOR THE RWY LIGHTS. AT ABOUT 270 FT THE COPLT CALLED OUT 'RWY IN SIGHT TO THE R.' I SAID 'THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.' THEN COPLT SAW THE RWY LIGHTS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US AND SAID 'RWY IN SIGHT.' I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE TWR CTLR ASKED 'WHAT RWY WERE YOU ASSIGNED?' I SAID 'RWY 4R.' I LOOKED OVER AT MY COPLT AND ASKED 'WHAT LOC DID YOU SELECT?' HE SAID 'OOPS, SORRY.' ACTIONS: I SHOULD HAVE REMOVED THE APCH PLATE FROM MY BOOK, AND CONFIRMED WE HAD THE CORRECT APCH PLATE. I ASSUMED THE NON FLYING COPLT WOULD HAVE THE PROPER CHART. HUMAN FACTORS: COPLT MAY HAVE BEEN FATIGUED. HE MADE SEVERAL ERRORS THROUGHOUT THE FLT THAT I COMMENTED ON. I ASSUMED THE ERRORS WERE DUE TO LOW TIME. COPLT WAS USED TO GOV CHART FORMAT, AND NOT USED TO OTHER AERO FORMAT CHARTS WHICH I USE. LESSON: ALWAYS BE A SKEPTIC. THIS WAS A MAJOR MISTAKE! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 362547: LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN MY KNOWLEDGE AND FEELING INFERIOR TO THE CAPT COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS SIT. I BELIEVE I ORIGINALLY SELECTED THE RIGHT APCH CHART AND THAT THE PAGE ACCIDENTALLY TURNED. THIS CAPT USES OTHER AERO CHARTS AND I WAS TAUGHT AND USED GOV CHARTS DURING MY TRAINING AND ALL 6 OF THE OTHER CAPTS USE THE GOV CHARTS. MAYBE THE COMPANY SHOULD STANDARDIZE THE PROCS BY HAVING ALL CAPTS USE THE SAME EQUIP AND PROCS. (EARLIER HE ASKED FOR THE APCH INFO AND I WAS TAUGHT AND USE THE 'MGFIAT' PROC: MISSED APCH PROCS, GUIDANCE FOR APCH, FREQS AND FAF, INITIAL APCH FIX, ALTS (APCH, STEPDOWNS, AND MDA OR DECISION HT), TIME FOR APCH. AS SOON AS I STARTED THIS HE GOT UPSET AND WAS PUTTING ME IN THAT INFERIOR FEELING.

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.