Narrative:

The flight was vectored from the cetus arrival for an approach to runway 21L at dtw. Approximately 1`5 mi outside of the FAF, the flight was cleared to intercept the runway 21L localizer. The runway 21R localizer frequency was inadvertently tuned to the PNF VHF navigation and the aircraft was flown through the runway 21L final approach course. ATC then instructed us to turn to a 190 degree heading and maintain 5000 ft. We were also instructed to intercept the runway 21L localizer and cleared for the runway 21L approach. The flight then continued and landed without any incident. The runway 21L ILS approach at dtw needs to be redesigned so it does not require DME information from the crl VORTAC to identify the fixes associated with the approach. This creates a situation where 1 VHF navigation radio must be tuned to something other than the localizer frequency required for the approach. This is a very dangerous situation, especially with simultaneous approachs to similar runways occurring in a high density area such as dtw. Also an incorrect DME reading occurs when the runway 21L localizer frequency 111.5 is tuned. This can be confusing, because the distance reading is not the distance to dtw. All ILS approachs should have a DME as part of the required components. Supplemental information from acn 476078: controller was busy, and aircraft with similar call signs on approach parallel runway. Fatigue and airport congestion and aircraft with similar call signs contributed to incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-50 FLC FAILS TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOC COURSE FOR RWY 21L WHEN THEY DIAL IN THE ILS FOR RWY 21R ON NAV RADIO #2 INSTEAD OF THE CRL VOR FOR DME SW OF DTW, MI.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS VECTORED FROM THE CETUS ARR FOR AN APCH TO RWY 21L AT DTW. APPROX 1`5 MI OUTSIDE OF THE FAF, THE FLT WAS CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 21L LOC. THE RWY 21R LOC FREQ WAS INADVERTENTLY TUNED TO THE PNF VHF NAV AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN THROUGH THE RWY 21L FINAL APCH COURSE. ATC THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TO A 190 DEG HDG AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. WE WERE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 21L LOC AND CLRED FOR THE RWY 21L APCH. THE FLT THEN CONTINUED AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. THE RWY 21L ILS APCH AT DTW NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED SO IT DOES NOT REQUIRE DME INFO FROM THE CRL VORTAC TO IDENT THE FIXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE APCH. THIS CREATES A SIT WHERE 1 VHF NAV RADIO MUST BE TUNED TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE LOC FREQ REQUIRED FOR THE APCH. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SIT, ESPECIALLY WITH SIMULTANEOUS APCHS TO SIMILAR RWYS OCCURRING IN A HIGH DENSITY AREA SUCH AS DTW. ALSO AN INCORRECT DME READING OCCURS WHEN THE RWY 21L LOC FREQ 111.5 IS TUNED. THIS CAN BE CONFUSING, BECAUSE THE DISTANCE READING IS NOT THE DISTANCE TO DTW. ALL ILS APCHS SHOULD HAVE A DME AS PART OF THE REQUIRED COMPONENTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 476078: CTLR WAS BUSY, AND ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON APCH PARALLEL RWY. FATIGUE AND ARPT CONGESTION AND ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS CONTRIBUTED TO INCIDENT.

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.