A B777 flight crew arriving pre-dawn after an international flight made a visual approach to the wro...

Attributes
ACN	702638
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	702638
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was the first officer on a B777; the PNF. We were on the arrival into atl after a 12 hour 45 min international flight. It was early morning; dark; and VMC. The airport was landing to the east. We heard a plane in front of us request and get approval for a westerly landing; so to save time we made the same request. About 10 mi from the airport (I am guessing) we were asked if we would accept a visual to runway 27L. We said yes. The approach controller asked us to report the airport in sight; which we did. He then cleared us for a visual to runway 27L; and to contact tower. This clearance happened shortly before we started a turn to final. After turning final and configuring for landing; we switched tower; reported 'visual for runway 27L;' and was given clearance to land on runway 27L. The ILS was not up; which I did not consider unusual since they were landing to the east (at this time of morning there was not much traffic). I extended the ILS centerline on the FMS; and noticed we were lined up left of centerline; which I thought was odd; since we were visually on centerline. At 50 ft AGL; we crossed the threshold; and I looked down and noticed the number '28' on the approach end of the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 FLT CREW ARRIVING PRE-DAWN AFTER AN INTL FLT MADE A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG RWY. THE ILS WAS NOT UP.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO ON A B777; THE PNF. WE WERE ON THE ARR INTO ATL AFTER A 12 HR 45 MIN INTL FLT. IT WAS EARLY MORNING; DARK; AND VMC. THE ARPT WAS LNDG TO THE E. WE HEARD A PLANE IN FRONT OF US REQUEST AND GET APPROVAL FOR A WESTERLY LNDG; SO TO SAVE TIME WE MADE THE SAME REQUEST. ABOUT 10 MI FROM THE ARPT (I AM GUESSING) WE WERE ASKED IF WE WOULD ACCEPT A VISUAL TO RWY 27L. WE SAID YES. THE APCH CTLR ASKED US TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT; WHICH WE DID. HE THEN CLRED US FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 27L; AND TO CONTACT TWR. THIS CLRNC HAPPENED SHORTLY BEFORE WE STARTED A TURN TO FINAL. AFTER TURNING FINAL AND CONFIGURING FOR LNDG; WE SWITCHED TWR; RPTED 'VISUAL FOR RWY 27L;' AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 27L. THE ILS WAS NOT UP; WHICH I DID NOT CONSIDER UNUSUAL SINCE THEY WERE LNDG TO THE E (AT THIS TIME OF MORNING THERE WAS NOT MUCH TFC). I EXTENDED THE ILS CTRLINE ON THE FMS; AND NOTICED WE WERE LINED UP L OF CTRLINE; WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ODD; SINCE WE WERE VISUALLY ON CTRLINE. AT 50 FT AGL; WE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD; AND I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THE NUMBER '28' ON THE APCH END OF THE RWY.

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.

A B777 flight crew arriving pre-dawn after an international flight made a visual approach to the wrong runway. The ILS was not up.