During a night operation, visual approach 7 pt 5 NM northwest of bwi, the approach controller turned...

Attributes
ACN	556142
Time
Date	200208
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	556142
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were flying into bwi. While being vectored west of the field at 3000 ft, bwi approach asked us to report the field in sight (approximately 15 mi at 10 O'clock position). This was my first, maybe second, time into bwi at night. Captain said he had the field -- I, however, did not. The captain said to wait to call the field. At about 10 mi from bwi, I still did not have it in sight. The captain said that he did, and to call the field. We were on a southerly heading and within 10 mi and the airport was on the captain's side. I told approach that we had the field. Approach control cleared us for the visual to runway 10. We both had the localizer to runway 10 tuned and the approach course set. At about 7.5 mi, I still couldn't find the field, but I was monitoring the localizer course. We were on a 90 degree intercept. At this point, I reiterated to the captain that I did not have the field. At about the same time, approach told us to contact the tower. I answered him, but did not switch frequencys immediately because we were configuring and running checklists. The captain started a left turn, I assume to reduce our intercept angle. During this maneuvering, approach control called us and asked if we were still there. I responded with 'yes, we are about to switch to tower.' he said to stay with him and gave us a vector back toward a 90 degree intercept angle. The controller said that it looked like we were lining up with runway 15. During this radio exchange and vector, I finally saw the airport. We complied with his instruction and I told him that we did have runway 10 in sight. He said that we were 'still cleared for the visual' and to contact the tower. We landed on runway 10 without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A NIGHT OP, VISUAL APCH 7 PT 5 NM NW OF BWI, THE APCH CTLR TURNED THE FLT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL 90 DEG INTERCEPT HDG FOR RWY 10, BELIEVING THAT A TURN TO THE L WAS TO LINE THE FLT UP WITH RWY 15 AT BWI, MD.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING INTO BWI. WHILE BEING VECTORED W OF THE FIELD AT 3000 FT, BWI APCH ASKED US TO RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT (APPROX 15 MI AT 10 O'CLOCK POS). THIS WAS MY FIRST, MAYBE SECOND, TIME INTO BWI AT NIGHT. CAPT SAID HE HAD THE FIELD -- I, HOWEVER, DID NOT. THE CAPT SAID TO WAIT TO CALL THE FIELD. AT ABOUT 10 MI FROM BWI, I STILL DID NOT HAVE IT IN SIGHT. THE CAPT SAID THAT HE DID, AND TO CALL THE FIELD. WE WERE ON A SOUTHERLY HDG AND WITHIN 10 MI AND THE ARPT WAS ON THE CAPT'S SIDE. I TOLD APCH THAT WE HAD THE FIELD. APCH CTL CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 10. WE BOTH HAD THE LOC TO RWY 10 TUNED AND THE APCH COURSE SET. AT ABOUT 7.5 MI, I STILL COULDN'T FIND THE FIELD, BUT I WAS MONITORING THE LOC COURSE. WE WERE ON A 90 DEG INTERCEPT. AT THIS POINT, I REITERATED TO THE CAPT THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE FIELD. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, APCH TOLD US TO CONTACT THE TWR. I ANSWERED HIM, BUT DID NOT SWITCH FREQS IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE WERE CONFIGURING AND RUNNING CHKLISTS. THE CAPT STARTED A L TURN, I ASSUME TO REDUCE OUR INTERCEPT ANGLE. DURING THIS MANEUVERING, APCH CTL CALLED US AND ASKED IF WE WERE STILL THERE. I RESPONDED WITH 'YES, WE ARE ABOUT TO SWITCH TO TWR.' HE SAID TO STAY WITH HIM AND GAVE US A VECTOR BACK TOWARD A 90 DEG INTERCEPT ANGLE. THE CTLR SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE LINING UP WITH RWY 15. DURING THIS RADIO EXCHANGE AND VECTOR, I FINALLY SAW THE ARPT. WE COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTION AND I TOLD HIM THAT WE DID HAVE RWY 10 IN SIGHT. HE SAID THAT WE WERE 'STILL CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' AND TO CONTACT THE TWR. WE LANDED ON RWY 10 WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.

During a night operation, visual approach 7 pt 5 NM northwest of bwi, the approach controller turned the flight back to its original 90 degree intercept heading for runway 10, believing that a turn to the left was to line the flight up with runway 15 at bwi, md.