Narrative:

Contacted approach control with ATIS information. ATIS was saying ILS to runway 36L and other runways in dfw (landing north). When approach was contacted, I can't remember if a runway was assigned or not. Don't think so. Both myself and my first officer were expecting runway 36L, idented runway 36L on morse code, upon being vectored to the approach, approximately on a 90 degree intercept to the localizer. The controller forgot about us, I asked him about 2 mi before the localizer if he wanted us to join the localizer. He was apologetic, and said 'turn to 360 degrees, clear for the approach.' again, I don't think he said a runway, then he said we were going to intercept at the marker, and if that was ok. I said yes, of course. We overshot the localizer, and were given another heading to reintercept. He said 'call the tower,' and he gave me the frequency. So I called them and said we were with them, ILS runway 36L. He said 'clear to land (runway 36R).' we broke out of the clouds and runway 36L was closed with trucks and equipment on it. The next ATIS information had the airport turned around and was landing south, and runway 18R was closed. I think the controller forgot about us and forgot that the runway was closed. I feel that the localizer should have been off (runway 36L) to a closed runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B757 WERE TURNED IN LATE TO THE LOC AND WERE CLRED FOR AN APCH TO A CLOSED RWY WHICH INFO WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ATIS.

Narrative: CONTACTED APCH CTL WITH ATIS INFO. ATIS WAS SAYING ILS TO RWY 36L AND OTHER RWYS IN DFW (LNDG N). WHEN APCH WAS CONTACTED, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF A RWY WAS ASSIGNED OR NOT. DON'T THINK SO. BOTH MYSELF AND MY FO WERE EXPECTING RWY 36L, IDENTED RWY 36L ON MORSE CODE, UPON BEING VECTORED TO THE APCH, APPROX ON A 90 DEG INTERCEPT TO THE LOC. THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US, I ASKED HIM ABOUT 2 MI BEFORE THE LOC IF HE WANTED US TO JOIN THE LOC. HE WAS APOLOGETIC, AND SAID 'TURN TO 360 DEGS, CLR FOR THE APCH.' AGAIN, I DON'T THINK HE SAID A RWY, THEN HE SAID WE WERE GOING TO INTERCEPT AT THE MARKER, AND IF THAT WAS OK. I SAID YES, OF COURSE. WE OVERSHOT THE LOC, AND WERE GIVEN ANOTHER HDG TO REINTERCEPT. HE SAID 'CALL THE TWR,' AND HE GAVE ME THE FREQ. SO I CALLED THEM AND SAID WE WERE WITH THEM, ILS RWY 36L. HE SAID 'CLR TO LAND (RWY 36R).' WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND RWY 36L WAS CLOSED WITH TRUCKS AND EQUIP ON IT. THE NEXT ATIS INFO HAD THE ARPT TURNED AROUND AND WAS LNDG S, AND RWY 18R WAS CLOSED. I THINK THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US AND FORGOT THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED. I FEEL THAT THE LOC SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF (RWY 36L) TO A CLOSED RWY.

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.