Narrative:

Originally on final to runway 35 with traffic landing runway 27R, at about 3/4 to 1 mi final, initiated a go around. I felt spacing would not be sufficient with crossing runway 27R traffic. Tower told us to enter a right downwind for runway 26. On go around, told first officer to tell tower we needed a vector. The first officer said he had runway and could tell me when to turn. After turning base, I again could see the field and began maneuvering for runway 26. Tower told us there was traffic also landing runway 27R, who had us in sight and would maintain visual separation. The wind was strong (340 degrees 14 KTS gusting 25 KTS). As I got closer to field, I saw the runway 27R traffic. The first officer then pointed to the runway and asked if I had it in sight, I then realized I was in fact mistaking runway 27R for runway 26. I immediately banked 30 degrees right to line up for final for runway 26. I believe my right wing was lined up with the left side of runway 26 when I initiated the bank to the right. The first officer thought the slight go through runway 26C was due to the wind and not much through centerline. In hindsight with busy procedures, going around and close in turn from go around on runway 35 to landing runway 26 and landing traffic on runway 27R, I should have asked tower for a vector for runway 26 until I was sure I had runway again. All this at night also contributed to difficulty in finding runway 26. The sudden realization I was lining up with the wrong runway truly gave me a scare, as I am sure the passenger, with the quick turn to align with the correct runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TURBOPROP ACR FO ALERTS CAPT THAT HE HAS MADE AN APCH TO THE WRONG PHL RWY.

Narrative: ORIGINALLY ON FINAL TO RWY 35 WITH TFC LNDG RWY 27R, AT ABOUT 3/4 TO 1 MI FINAL, INITIATED A GAR. I FELT SPACING WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT WITH XING RWY 27R TFC. TWR TOLD US TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26. ON GAR, TOLD FO TO TELL TWR WE NEEDED A VECTOR. THE FO SAID HE HAD RWY AND COULD TELL ME WHEN TO TURN. AFTER TURNING BASE, I AGAIN COULD SEE THE FIELD AND BEGAN MANEUVERING FOR RWY 26. TWR TOLD US THERE WAS TFC ALSO LNDG RWY 27R, WHO HAD US IN SIGHT AND WOULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. THE WIND WAS STRONG (340 DEGS 14 KTS GUSTING 25 KTS). AS I GOT CLOSER TO FIELD, I SAW THE RWY 27R TFC. THE FO THEN POINTED TO THE RWY AND ASKED IF I HAD IT IN SIGHT, I THEN REALIZED I WAS IN FACT MISTAKING RWY 27R FOR RWY 26. I IMMEDIATELY BANKED 30 DEGS R TO LINE UP FOR FINAL FOR RWY 26. I BELIEVE MY R WING WAS LINED UP WITH THE L SIDE OF RWY 26 WHEN I INITIATED THE BANK TO THE R. THE FO THOUGHT THE SLIGHT GO THROUGH RWY 26C WAS DUE TO THE WIND AND NOT MUCH THROUGH CTRLINE. IN HINDSIGHT WITH BUSY PROCS, GOING AROUND AND CLOSE IN TURN FROM GAR ON RWY 35 TO LNDG RWY 26 AND LNDG TFC ON RWY 27R, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED TWR FOR A VECTOR FOR RWY 26 UNTIL I WAS SURE I HAD RWY AGAIN. ALL THIS AT NIGHT ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO DIFFICULTY IN FINDING RWY 26. THE SUDDEN REALIZATION I WAS LINING UP WITH THE WRONG RWY TRULY GAVE ME A SCARE, AS I AM SURE THE PAX, WITH THE QUICK TURN TO ALIGN WITH THE CORRECT 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.