An MD80 crew on a visual approach to dfw lined up on the wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	535457
Time
Date	200201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 18r
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 : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	535457
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Late afternoon under hazy skies, approach control asked if we had the airport in sight. My captain responded yes, and approach cleared us for a visual approach to runway 18R. Traffic at the airport seemed light at this time. We both tuned and idented the correct ILS (runway 18R) and I turned toward the field. I aimed at what I thought was runway 18R and waited for my flight director to capture the localizer and GS for further guidance. Due to the size of dfw, if appeared we aligned on the west complex. As we continued to slow and configure the aircraft for landing, I was becoming more and more concerned why the flight director would not capture the ILS and/or why the localizer would not center. At about that same time, the tower advised that we were lined up on runway 17R and that we were cleared to make a right 90 degree turn to join up with runway 18R. We were still cleared to land. There was no conflict with other aircraft and from our position, a go around was not required. Additionally, no excessive maneuvers were required to maneuver to runway 18R and a normal landing was made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW ON A VISUAL APCH TO DFW LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: LATE AFTERNOON UNDER HAZY SKIES, APCH CTL ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. MY CAPT RESPONDED YES, AND APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18R. TFC AT THE ARPT SEEMED LIGHT AT THIS TIME. WE BOTH TUNED AND IDENTED THE CORRECT ILS (RWY 18R) AND I TURNED TOWARD THE FIELD. I AIMED AT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 18R AND WAITED FOR MY FLT DIRECTOR TO CAPTURE THE LOC AND GS FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE. DUE TO THE SIZE OF DFW, IF APPEARED WE ALIGNED ON THE W COMPLEX. AS WE CONTINUED TO SLOW AND CONFIGURE THE ACFT FOR LNDG, I WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE CONCERNED WHY THE FLT DIRECTOR WOULD NOT CAPTURE THE ILS AND/OR WHY THE LOC WOULD NOT CTR. AT ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, THE TWR ADVISED THAT WE WERE LINED UP ON RWY 17R AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO MAKE A R 90 DEG TURN TO JOIN UP WITH RWY 18R. WE WERE STILL CLRED TO LAND. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT AND FROM OUR POS, A GAR WAS NOT REQUIRED. ADDITIONALLY, NO EXCESSIVE MANEUVERS WERE REQUIRED TO MANEUVER TO RWY 18R AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE.

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.