Narrative:

Captain was PF, first officer was PNF. WX was VFR but very hazy. Descending on CQY4, 350 degree heading, approximately 5000 ft MSL, approach controller changed our landing runway from runway 17C to runway 17L. Controller called traffic at 10 O'clock position. First officer transmitted, 'traffic in sight.' controller responded, 'follow that traffic, cleared for the visual to runway 17L.' I told the first officer I did not see the traffic or have the runway in sight. I told the first officer to keep the traffic in sight. Airspeed was 210 KIAS slowing to 190 KIAS in the 25 degree banked turn to final. As we rolled to the left in our turn, the first officer lost sight of the aircraft we were supposed to be following. I picked up the airport environment through the haze, but noticed we were closer aligned to runway 17C than to runway 17L. I clicked off the autoplt and autothrottles and began an immediate turn from 170 degrees to 145 degrees to intercept runway 17L. Just then, tower called and said to turn to a 150 degree heading for runway 17L, and that it looked like we might be lining up for runway 17C. First officer told her that we were already on an intercept to runway 17L, and that the misalignment was due to the late runway change. Landed on runway 17L without further incident. No other remarks from tower or ground controllers. At the gate we decided that the PNF should always check with the PF prior to acknowledging any TA's. I will now include this in all my preflight briefings to the first officer. Recommend that other captain's consider doing the same.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW INBOUND DFW RECEIVED LATE RWY CHANGE AND ARE INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW TFC TO RWY 17L. CREW LOST SIGHT OF THE TFC AND OVERSHOT THE RWY 17L FINAL.

Narrative: CAPT WAS PF, FO WAS PNF. WX WAS VFR BUT VERY HAZY. DSNDING ON CQY4, 350 DEG HDG, APPROX 5000 FT MSL, APCH CTLR CHANGED OUR LNDG RWY FROM RWY 17C TO RWY 17L. CTLR CALLED TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK POS. FO XMITTED, 'TFC IN SIGHT.' CTLR RESPONDED, 'FOLLOW THAT TFC, CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 17L.' I TOLD THE FO I DID NOT SEE THE TFC OR HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT. I TOLD THE FO TO KEEP THE TFC IN SIGHT. AIRSPD WAS 210 KIAS SLOWING TO 190 KIAS IN THE 25 DEG BANKED TURN TO FINAL. AS WE ROLLED TO THE L IN OUR TURN, THE FO LOST SIGHT OF THE ACFT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING. I PICKED UP THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE HAZE, BUT NOTICED WE WERE CLOSER ALIGNED TO RWY 17C THAN TO RWY 17L. I CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE TURN FROM 170 DEGS TO 145 DEGS TO INTERCEPT RWY 17L. JUST THEN, TWR CALLED AND SAID TO TURN TO A 150 DEG HDG FOR RWY 17L, AND THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE MIGHT BE LINING UP FOR RWY 17C. FO TOLD HER THAT WE WERE ALREADY ON AN INTERCEPT TO RWY 17L, AND THAT THE MISALIGNMENT WAS DUE TO THE LATE RWY CHANGE. LANDED ON RWY 17L WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO OTHER REMARKS FROM TWR OR GND CTLRS. AT THE GATE WE DECIDED THAT THE PNF SHOULD ALWAYS CHK WITH THE PF PRIOR TO ACKNOWLEDGING ANY TA'S. I WILL NOW INCLUDE THIS IN ALL MY PREFLT BRIEFINGS TO THE FO. RECOMMEND THAT OTHER CAPT'S CONSIDER DOING THE SAME.

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.