B737 crew informed by ATIS and approach controller runway 4R at ewr in use but find out on final the...

Attributes
ACN	586147
Time
Date	200306
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : ewr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 4r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	586147
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : executed missed approach
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

During descent to runway for landing at ewr, ATIS indicated runway 4R as the landing runway. TRACON advised runway 4R, and cleared crew to intercept the localizer runway 4R, 'maintain 170 KTS to dooin' (FAF for runway 4R). During approach (visual in VMC conditions -- localizer/GS out -- not on ATIS) flight was instructed to execute a missed approach. Runway 4R was closed, runway 4L was the active runway. Tower was called after landing and the matter was discussed with the captain. Neither felt that an emergency existed, however, the event could have been one under certain circumstances. No further action taken by flight crew, or by TRACON, except to clarify the confusion with runway closure information dissemination, either by electronic or verbal means.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW INFORMED BY ATIS AND APCH CTLR RWY 4R AT EWR IN USE BUT FIND OUT ON FINAL THE RWY IS CLOSED.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT TO RWY FOR LNDG AT EWR, ATIS INDICATED RWY 4R AS THE LNDG RWY. TRACON ADVISED RWY 4R, AND CLRED CREW TO INTERCEPT THE LOC RWY 4R, 'MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO DOOIN' (FAF FOR RWY 4R). DURING APCH (VISUAL IN VMC CONDITIONS -- LOC/GS OUT -- NOT ON ATIS) FLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. RWY 4R WAS CLOSED, RWY 4L WAS THE ACTIVE RWY. TWR WAS CALLED AFTER LNDG AND THE MATTER WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE CAPT. NEITHER FELT THAT AN EMER EXISTED, HOWEVER, THE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN ONE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN BY FLT CREW, OR BY TRACON, EXCEPT TO CLARIFY THE CONFUSION WITH RWY CLOSURE INFO DISSEMINATION, EITHER BY ELECTRONIC OR VERBAL MEANS.

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.

B737 crew informed by ATIS and approach controller runway 4R at ewr in use but find out on final the runway is closed.