B767-300 flight crew has a track and heading deviation during final approach to runway at atl.

Attributes
ACN	721655
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	721655
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was at the controls (captain) and we were cleared for the ILS runway 27R at atlanta (atl); sidestep to land on runway 27L. Night; the WX was approximately 2500-2800 ft overcast with good visibility below. The wind was out of the nnw at about 38 KTS at that altitude. When we broke out; I saw the approach lights to runway 27L. I thought they were for runway 27R (the runway I was flying the approach to). The approach lights for runway 27R were not on. I disconnected the autoplt and began the visual maneuver to the left. The first officer tuned in the frequency for runway 27L. With my turn to the left and the wind pushing us over; it didn't take long to get off centerline for runway 27L. We saw runway 28 and initially thought that was runway 27L (again; those were the only 2 runways with approach lights on). About the time I realized runway 27R didn't have approach lights and we were off; I started the turn back and got a call from tower asking where we were going. There was another aircraft on approach to runway 28 and tower initially directed him to make a turn to the left. He said he had us visually. After we turned back; he was given the option of going around or landing. He said it was no problem and landed. After landing the tower asked him if he wanted to call on the phone and talk about it; he said he had us in sight; no problem; and didn't care to discuss it further. After we landed; the tower requested I call and I did. He wanted to know what happened and he informed me that it was the third time that it happened that night. I told him exactly what happened and how the approach lights off on runway 27R caused me to turn. The big issue here; in my opinion; is the approach lighting in use for these sidesteps. When we fly these approachs at night; we are looking for approach lights to runways. The actual runway lights are hard to make out with all the other lights on around. It's very easy to get pulled off to another runway. Both the first officer and I thought the approach lights we saw after breaking out; were for runway 27R. We both missed it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 FLT CREW HAS A TRACK AND HDG DEV DURING FINAL APCH TO RWY AT ATL.

Narrative: I WAS AT THE CTLS (CAPT) AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 27R AT ATLANTA (ATL); SIDESTEP TO LAND ON RWY 27L. NIGHT; THE WX WAS APPROX 2500-2800 FT OVCST WITH GOOD VISIBILITY BELOW. THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE NNW AT ABOUT 38 KTS AT THAT ALT. WHEN WE BROKE OUT; I SAW THE APCH LIGHTS TO RWY 27L. I THOUGHT THEY WERE FOR RWY 27R (THE RWY I WAS FLYING THE APCH TO). THE APCH LIGHTS FOR RWY 27R WERE NOT ON. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN THE VISUAL MANEUVER TO THE L. THE FO TUNED IN THE FREQ FOR RWY 27L. WITH MY TURN TO THE L AND THE WIND PUSHING US OVER; IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO GET OFF CTRLINE FOR RWY 27L. WE SAW RWY 28 AND INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT WAS RWY 27L (AGAIN; THOSE WERE THE ONLY 2 RWYS WITH APCH LIGHTS ON). ABOUT THE TIME I REALIZED RWY 27R DIDN'T HAVE APCH LIGHTS AND WE WERE OFF; I STARTED THE TURN BACK AND GOT A CALL FROM TWR ASKING WHERE WE WERE GOING. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON APCH TO RWY 28 AND TWR INITIALLY DIRECTED HIM TO MAKE A TURN TO THE L. HE SAID HE HAD US VISUALLY. AFTER WE TURNED BACK; HE WAS GIVEN THE OPTION OF GOING AROUND OR LNDG. HE SAID IT WAS NO PROB AND LANDED. AFTER LNDG THE TWR ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED TO CALL ON THE PHONE AND TALK ABOUT IT; HE SAID HE HAD US IN SIGHT; NO PROB; AND DIDN'T CARE TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER. AFTER WE LANDED; THE TWR REQUESTED I CALL AND I DID. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND HE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THE THIRD TIME THAT IT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. I TOLD HIM EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW THE APCH LIGHTS OFF ON RWY 27R CAUSED ME TO TURN. THE BIG ISSUE HERE; IN MY OPINION; IS THE APCH LIGHTING IN USE FOR THESE SIDESTEPS. WHEN WE FLY THESE APCHS AT NIGHT; WE ARE LOOKING FOR APCH LIGHTS TO RWYS. THE ACTUAL RWY LIGHTS ARE HARD TO MAKE OUT WITH ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS ON AROUND. IT'S VERY EASY TO GET PULLED OFF TO ANOTHER RWY. BOTH THE FO AND I THOUGHT THE APCH LIGHTS WE SAW AFTER BREAKING OUT; WERE FOR RWY 27R. WE BOTH MISSED IT.

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.