Narrative:

Aircraft was on right base for runway 9R, at fll. Everything was normal. Approach was stabilized, and localizer runway 9R was set on #2 omni. Although the ATIS was calling the visibility 10 mi, it was a little dark and hazy. I had the airline flight, on final for runway 9L, in sight. However, what I thought was runways 9R and 9L was runway 9L and a taxiway north of runway 9L. Runway 9R was not very visible. Since the base leg was close in, the CDI on the #2 navigation (localizer) did not swing until I was across the course. I then turned back to runway 9R. The tower asked me whether I had the airliner in sight a couple of times. He didn't appear too close. Perhaps there was sufficient separation -- I was not asked to call on the land line. The disturbing part is that I had been focusing on the wrong runway, throughout the approach. It did not appear that I was closing in on traffic. I have been flying for many yrs and I set very high performance standards for myself. It disturbs me that this could happen. If the rails were lighted, it would have made it easy to choose the correct runway. I was unfamiliar with this airport, and that was probably a contributing factor. What can I do to make sure that this never again happens at any airport? 1) use an IFR approach at airports where I am unfamiliar, 2) use my GPS to confirm my position, and 3) ask for lights, when the visibility is restr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INITIAL LINE UP WITH THE WRONG RWY AT FLL, FL, CAUSES CONCERN TO CPR PLT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON R BASE FOR RWY 9R, AT FLL. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. APCH WAS STABILIZED, AND LOC RWY 9R WAS SET ON #2 OMNI. ALTHOUGH THE ATIS WAS CALLING THE VISIBILITY 10 MI, IT WAS A LITTLE DARK AND HAZY. I HAD THE AIRLINE FLT, ON FINAL FOR RWY 9L, IN SIGHT. HOWEVER, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWYS 9R AND 9L WAS RWY 9L AND A TXWY N OF RWY 9L. RWY 9R WAS NOT VERY VISIBLE. SINCE THE BASE LEG WAS CLOSE IN, THE CDI ON THE #2 NAV (LOC) DID NOT SWING UNTIL I WAS ACROSS THE COURSE. I THEN TURNED BACK TO RWY 9R. THE TWR ASKED ME WHETHER I HAD THE AIRLINER IN SIGHT A COUPLE OF TIMES. HE DIDN'T APPEAR TOO CLOSE. PERHAPS THERE WAS SUFFICIENT SEPARATION -- I WAS NOT ASKED TO CALL ON THE LAND LINE. THE DISTURBING PART IS THAT I HAD BEEN FOCUSING ON THE WRONG RWY, THROUGHOUT THE APCH. IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT I WAS CLOSING IN ON TFC. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR MANY YRS AND I SET VERY HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR MYSELF. IT DISTURBS ME THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN. IF THE RAILS WERE LIGHTED, IT WOULD HAVE MADE IT EASY TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT RWY. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS ARPT, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS NEVER AGAIN HAPPENS AT ANY ARPT? 1) USE AN IFR APCH AT ARPTS WHERE I AM UNFAMILIAR, 2) USE MY GPS TO CONFIRM MY POS, AND 3) ASK FOR LIGHTS, WHEN THE VISIBILITY IS RESTR.

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.