Narrative:

Flight from ZZZ to psp. On right base to runway 31L; ten miles to the airport. The only thing visible in the dark hole where the airport is was a VASI and associated runway lights. We had a runway with extension and a glide path on the descent page. I was referencing the computer with the visual cues of the airport. The thought occurred to me of the possibility of lining up on the wrong runway; as it always does going into this airport. Remembering the story in ground school from two years ago is enough to mentally ensure this is not repeated. On final; lined up with the runway; with only one runway/VASI visible; we continue to about 200 ft AGL. Captain exclaims; 'this is runway 31; right?' just then I was observing how narrow the runway looked. We immediately went missed approach. Tower said nothing except; 'enter right traffic for runway 31L; lights are up to step 4.' on downwind; suddenly a huge 10000 ft runway appears; complete with 3 bar VASI. At the gate I questioned ground control about the lights. I was questioning what I had seen. Did I miss the runway? Were the lights even on? He replied that the runway 31L lights were at step 2 as normal. We have a big problem here for the safety of our operation. 1) if the lights and VASI for runway 31L were not on; big problem. 2) if the lights were on at stage 2; and two extremely alert pilots; aware of the misalignment danger; almost land on runway 31R; there is a big problem. Issues: 1) what is the use of directional lights on one of the runways? 2) is step 2 lighting appropriate at night on runway 31L? 3) should runway 31R be lighted at night? Perhaps go to operations only on runway 31L at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG FLT CREW COMES CLOSE TO LNDG ON THE WRONG PARALLEL RWY DUE TO THE RELATIVE PROMINENCE OF THE RWY LIGHTING ON RWY 31R VERSUS RWY 31L AT PSP.

Narrative: FLT FROM ZZZ TO PSP. ON R BASE TO RWY 31L; TEN MILES TO THE ARPT. THE ONLY THING VISIBLE IN THE DARK HOLE WHERE THE ARPT IS WAS A VASI AND ASSOCIATED RWY LIGHTS. WE HAD A RWY WITH EXTENSION AND A GLIDE PATH ON THE DSCNT PAGE. I WAS REFERENCING THE COMPUTER WITH THE VISUAL CUES OF THE ARPT. THE THOUGHT OCCURRED TO ME OF THE POSSIBILITY OF LINING UP ON THE WRONG RWY; AS IT ALWAYS DOES GOING INTO THIS ARPT. REMEMBERING THE STORY IN GND SCHOOL FROM TWO YEARS AGO IS ENOUGH TO MENTALLY ENSURE THIS IS NOT REPEATED. ON FINAL; LINED UP WITH THE RWY; WITH ONLY ONE RWY/VASI VISIBLE; WE CONTINUE TO ABOUT 200 FT AGL. CAPT EXCLAIMS; 'THIS IS RWY 31; RIGHT?' JUST THEN I WAS OBSERVING HOW NARROW THE RWY LOOKED. WE IMMEDIATELY WENT MISSED APCH. TWR SAID NOTHING EXCEPT; 'ENTER R TFC FOR RWY 31L; LIGHTS ARE UP TO STEP 4.' ON DOWNWIND; SUDDENLY A HUGE 10000 FT RWY APPEARS; COMPLETE WITH 3 BAR VASI. AT THE GATE I QUESTIONED GND CTL ABOUT THE LIGHTS. I WAS QUESTIONING WHAT I HAD SEEN. DID I MISS THE RWY? WERE THE LIGHTS EVEN ON? HE REPLIED THAT THE RWY 31L LIGHTS WERE AT STEP 2 AS NORMAL. WE HAVE A BIG PROB HERE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR OPERATION. 1) IF THE LIGHTS AND VASI FOR RWY 31L WERE NOT ON; BIG PROB. 2) IF THE LIGHTS WERE ON AT STAGE 2; AND TWO EXTREMELY ALERT PLTS; AWARE OF THE MISALIGNMENT DANGER; ALMOST LAND ON RWY 31R; THERE IS A BIG PROB. ISSUES: 1) WHAT IS THE USE OF DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS ON ONE OF THE RWYS? 2) IS STEP 2 LIGHTING APPROPRIATE AT NIGHT ON RWY 31L? 3) SHOULD RWY 31R BE LIGHTED AT NIGHT? PERHAPS GO TO OPS ONLY ON RWY 31L AT NIGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.