A319 flight crew while on visual approach to runway 21 geg; line up aircraft with runway 23 at ska.

Attributes
ACN	698880
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 3600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : geg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210
ASRS Report	698880
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While proceeding direct phort (ILS runway 21 FAF) we reported the airport in sight; and were subsequently cleared for a visual approach. Descending to 3600 ft MSL we armed the approach; intercepted glide path; turned left to align with the runway; and began slowing/configuring. As we descended from phort it became readily apparent that we had a runway/approach mismatch. I advised the PF that his approach did not look right. Just as I began directing a correction; the tower asked if we were aligning with the wrong runway. We then corrected to course and continued to a normal landing. Both pilots were previously aware of the proximity of the AFB to our destination. However; as the turn to final was initiated at phort; the AFB runway came into alignment; and the PF stopped his turn. This situation reinforces the value of installing available approach aids when planning for visual approachs. Fatigue may have been contributed to initial runway misidentification; as both pilots had flown about 15 hours in the previous 36; and were ending a 12 hour duty period. There was also the distraction of looking for balloons that tower had reported in the area of the final approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW WHILE ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21 GEG; LINE UP ACFT WITH RWY 23 AT SKA.

Narrative: WHILE PROCEEDING DIRECT PHORT (ILS RWY 21 FAF) WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT; AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. DSNDING TO 3600 FT MSL WE ARMED THE APCH; INTERCEPTED GLIDE PATH; TURNED L TO ALIGN WITH THE RWY; AND BEGAN SLOWING/CONFIGURING. AS WE DSNDED FROM PHORT IT BECAME READILY APPARENT THAT WE HAD A RWY/APCH MISMATCH. I ADVISED THE PF THAT HIS APCH DID NOT LOOK RIGHT. JUST AS I BEGAN DIRECTING A CORRECTION; THE TWR ASKED IF WE WERE ALIGNING WITH THE WRONG RWY. WE THEN CORRECTED TO COURSE AND CONTINUED TO A NORMAL LNDG. BOTH PLTS WERE PREVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE PROX OF THE AFB TO OUR DEST. HOWEVER; AS THE TURN TO FINAL WAS INITIATED AT PHORT; THE AFB RWY CAME INTO ALIGNMENT; AND THE PF STOPPED HIS TURN. THIS SITUATION REINFORCES THE VALUE OF INSTALLING AVAILABLE APCH AIDS WHEN PLANNING FOR VISUAL APCHS. FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTED TO INITIAL RWY MISIDENTIFICATION; AS BOTH PLTS HAD FLOWN ABOUT 15 HRS IN THE PREVIOUS 36; AND WERE ENDING A 12 HR DUTY PERIOD. THERE WAS ALSO THE DISTR OF LOOKING FOR BALLOONS THAT TWR HAD RPTED IN THE AREA OF THE FINAL APCH.

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.