Narrative:

Our citation 650 was being vectored to a visual approach at las. The first officer was flying the aircraft occupying the left seat as per company SOP. The captain occupied the right seat. Initially the flight was told to expect runway 25. The crew briefed for runway 25 and set up the appropriate navaids for the ILS. ATC then changed the runway to runway 19R and the flight was told to expect the visual approach. The flight was asked to report 'the space needle' in sight. The captain was familiar with 18 yrs with the air carrier. The first officer was not familiar and did not fully understand 'the space needle.' the captain placed the heading bug on heading to 'the needle.' first officer finally saw the space needle and flew to it. The captain then asked the first officer if he had runway 19R in sight. He stated he did not. The captain then attempted to provide visual cues and prompts to the runway. The first officer still said he did not have runway 19R in sight. It should be noted runway 19R was dimly lit and sat among a sea of las vegas lights. ATC advised 'maintain 3500 ft until abeam the needle cleared for the visual.' by now the first officer appeared to have the runway but had not begun a descent. The captain continued to assist the first officer and he then reported he 'has lost the runway.' advising ATC of this; the flight was told to maintain 5000 ft and re-vectored to the final. The first officer was still uncertain of the runway xferred control to the captain who landed the aircraft. Recommendations: although our carrier operates in/out of las on a regular basis and las sits in a sea of lights; it is difficult to see 'the space needle' at night. Perhaps a more defined fix might be in order. The flight had been briefed to expect runway 25 and then close in it quickly changed to runway 19R. The crew was briefed and prepared for runway 25. So many times when this happens; the aircraft is close to the changed runway; workload is high and errors occur. Perhaps controllers could give the aircraft the option if available in a more timely manner. With las sitting in a sea of lights perhaps a study on night operations in a brightly lit area with a dimly lit airfield may be in order and recommendations from that study published to improve operational techniques.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE IN RWY CHANGE FOR LNDG AT LAS RESULTS IN GAR DUE TO LOSS OF VISUAL CONTACT WITH RWY 19.

Narrative: OUR CITATION 650 WAS BEING VECTORED TO A VISUAL APCH AT LAS. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT OCCUPYING THE L SEAT AS PER COMPANY SOP. THE CAPT OCCUPIED THE R SEAT. INITIALLY THE FLT WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 25. THE CREW BRIEFED FOR RWY 25 AND SET UP THE APPROPRIATE NAVAIDS FOR THE ILS. ATC THEN CHANGED THE RWY TO RWY 19R AND THE FLT WAS TOLD TO EXPECT THE VISUAL APCH. THE FLT WAS ASKED TO RPT 'THE SPACE NEEDLE' IN SIGHT. THE CAPT WAS FAMILIAR WITH 18 YRS WITH THE ACR. THE FO WAS NOT FAMILIAR AND DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND 'THE SPACE NEEDLE.' THE CAPT PLACED THE HDG BUG ON HDG TO 'THE NEEDLE.' FO FINALLY SAW THE SPACE NEEDLE AND FLEW TO IT. THE CAPT THEN ASKED THE FO IF HE HAD RWY 19R IN SIGHT. HE STATED HE DID NOT. THE CAPT THEN ATTEMPTED TO PROVIDE VISUAL CUES AND PROMPTS TO THE RWY. THE FO STILL SAID HE DID NOT HAVE RWY 19R IN SIGHT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED RWY 19R WAS DIMLY LIT AND SAT AMONG A SEA OF LAS VEGAS LIGHTS. ATC ADVISED 'MAINTAIN 3500 FT UNTIL ABEAM THE NEEDLE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' BY NOW THE FO APPEARED TO HAVE THE RWY BUT HAD NOT BEGUN A DSCNT. THE CAPT CONTINUED TO ASSIST THE FO AND HE THEN RPTED HE 'HAS LOST THE RWY.' ADVISING ATC OF THIS; THE FLT WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT AND RE-VECTORED TO THE FINAL. THE FO WAS STILL UNCERTAIN OF THE RWY XFERRED CTL TO THE CAPT WHO LANDED THE ACFT. RECOMMENDATIONS: ALTHOUGH OUR CARRIER OPERATES IN/OUT OF LAS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND LAS SITS IN A SEA OF LIGHTS; IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE 'THE SPACE NEEDLE' AT NIGHT. PERHAPS A MORE DEFINED FIX MIGHT BE IN ORDER. THE FLT HAD BEEN BRIEFED TO EXPECT RWY 25 AND THEN CLOSE IN IT QUICKLY CHANGED TO RWY 19R. THE CREW WAS BRIEFED AND PREPARED FOR RWY 25. SO MANY TIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS; THE ACFT IS CLOSE TO THE CHANGED RWY; WORKLOAD IS HIGH AND ERRORS OCCUR. PERHAPS CTLRS COULD GIVE THE ACFT THE OPTION IF AVAILABLE IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. WITH LAS SITTING IN A SEA OF LIGHTS PERHAPS A STUDY ON NIGHT OPS IN A BRIGHTLY LIT AREA WITH A DIMLY LIT AIRFIELD MAY BE IN ORDER AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT STUDY PUBLISHED TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL TECHNIQUES.

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.