Narrative:

Aircraft was radar vectored by rdu from south boston arrival to final on ILS runway 5 at rdu. Air crew briefed ILS runway 5L approach, since WX was 1 mi visibility and 100 ft ceiling and runway 5L was 10000 ft long and braking advisories were in effect. No mention of runway 5L closure was ever made until flight contacted rdu tower 2 mi outside the OM for runway 5L. At that time, tower cleared us to land runway 5R and asked if we were receiving runway 5R localizer ok. We stated we had been cleared ILS runway 5L and were not in a position to transition to ILS runway 5R and asked why we weren't cleared to land runway 5L. Tower stated runway 5L was closed for snow removal. This was the first time that mention of a runway closure had been made. ATIS nor approach control had indicated closure. After returning back to raleigh approach, we stated what happened and approach said he had cleared us to ILS runway 5R. Neither myself nor the first officer ever heard clearance to runway 5R. Landing was made to runway 5R with fair braking action and 7500 ft of runway.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 CREW, ON ARR TO RDU, SET UP TO LAND ON RWY 5L, WERE INFORMED BY TWR THEY WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 5R.

Narrative: ACFT WAS RADAR VECTORED BY RDU FROM S BOSTON ARR TO FINAL ON ILS RWY 5 AT RDU. AIR CREW BRIEFED ILS RWY 5L APCH, SINCE WX WAS 1 MI VISIBILITY AND 100 FT CEILING AND RWY 5L WAS 10000 FT LONG AND BRAKING ADVISORIES WERE IN EFFECT. NO MENTION OF RWY 5L CLOSURE WAS EVER MADE UNTIL FLT CONTACTED RDU TWR 2 MI OUTSIDE THE OM FOR RWY 5L. AT THAT TIME, TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 5R AND ASKED IF WE WERE RECEIVING RWY 5R LOC OK. WE STATED WE HAD BEEN CLRED ILS RWY 5L AND WERE NOT IN A POS TO TRANSITION TO ILS RWY 5R AND ASKED WHY WE WEREN'T CLRED TO LAND RWY 5L. TWR STATED RWY 5L WAS CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT MENTION OF A RWY CLOSURE HAD BEEN MADE. ATIS NOR APCH CTL HAD INDICATED CLOSURE. AFTER RETURNING BACK TO RALEIGH APCH, WE STATED WHAT HAPPENED AND APCH SAID HE HAD CLRED US TO ILS RWY 5R. NEITHER MYSELF NOR THE FO EVER HEARD CLRNC TO RWY 5R. LNDG WAS MADE TO RWY 5R WITH FAIR BRAKING ACTION AND 7500 FT OF 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.