A DC9 crew, on a visual approach to bna, lined up on the wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	534703
Time
Date	200201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	534703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : hsi and glideslope other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain of aircraft acquired airport runway environment while on a downwind approach. Overcast skies caused a 'shadowing' effect on the airport. The first runway acquired in sight by captain was runway 2C, which he mistook for runway 2L. As we turned final I saw the runway for the first time. (Note: I was sitting on right side of aircraft therefore I could not see the airport visually until rolling out on final. Initially the HSI and GS indications showed that we were on course for the correct runway due to the close proximity of runways 2L and 2C to each other. As we approached the runway, the instrument GS did not match the visual GS. We immediately queried the controller and he informed us that we were aligned with runway 2C. He immediately indicated 'no problem' and cleared us to land on runway 2C. Since we were safely established on the approach we continued and a safe and normal touchdown was accomplished. I believe the overcast 'shadowing effect' was a contributing factor in the misident of the runway. Additionally, I do not believe visibility was as good as the tower reported. Instrument indications do not deflect much until close in to the runway especially CDI indications. The runway confign requires pilots to be extra vigilance when making visual approachs in almost any condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CREW, ON A VISUAL APCH TO BNA, LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: CAPT OF ACFT ACQUIRED ARPT RWY ENVIRONMENT WHILE ON A DOWNWIND APCH. OVCST SKIES CAUSED A 'SHADOWING' EFFECT ON THE ARPT. THE FIRST RWY ACQUIRED IN SIGHT BY CAPT WAS RWY 2C, WHICH HE MISTOOK FOR RWY 2L. AS WE TURNED FINAL I SAW THE RWY FOR THE FIRST TIME. (NOTE: I WAS SITTING ON R SIDE OF ACFT THEREFORE I COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT VISUALLY UNTIL ROLLING OUT ON FINAL. INITIALLY THE HSI AND GS INDICATIONS SHOWED THAT WE WERE ON COURSE FOR THE CORRECT RWY DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF RWYS 2L AND 2C TO EACH OTHER. AS WE APCHED THE RWY, THE INST GS DID NOT MATCH THE VISUAL GS. WE IMMEDIATELY QUERIED THE CTLR AND HE INFORMED US THAT WE WERE ALIGNED WITH RWY 2C. HE IMMEDIATELY INDICATED 'NO PROB' AND CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 2C. SINCE WE WERE SAFELY ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH WE CONTINUED AND A SAFE AND NORMAL TOUCHDOWN WAS ACCOMPLISHED. I BELIEVE THE OVCST 'SHADOWING EFFECT' WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE MISIDENT OF THE RWY. ADDITIONALLY, I DO NOT BELIEVE VISIBILITY WAS AS GOOD AS THE TWR RPTED. INST INDICATIONS DO NOT DEFLECT MUCH UNTIL CLOSE IN TO THE RWY ESPECIALLY CDI INDICATIONS. THE RWY CONFIGN REQUIRES PLTS TO BE EXTRA VIGILANCE WHEN MAKING VISUAL APCHS IN ALMOST ANY CONDITION.

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.