Narrative:

In our descent from approximately 11;000 feet received an ECAM alert. We had the right high pressure valve fault. I flew the airplane and the captain worked the ECAM/QRH items. We had briefed and had the airplane set up for the ILS approach to runway 35R. We fully expected this runway due to strong winds out of the northwest and we were an eastbound arrival. Since starting this evening turn line; when landing to the north; I have always landed on runway 35R. Louisville approach asked us to fly heading 320 and intercept the localizer. I turned the heading to 320 and armed V/left. We received localizer alive then localizer. I set runway heading. The controller then came back and informed us that we were right of course. We quickly checked the pfd/FMA to verify we were tracking localizer. The captain mentioned we were tracking the localizer for runway 35R. The controller then told us to 'fly 320 for runway 35L that our tag had us going to runway 35L.' we quickly adjusted our heading. The captain set in the runway 35L frequency and I went to arc mode and tracked the localizer while he entered the approach into the FMC. Approach cleared us for the ILS runway 35L with speed 170 to marker. He then handed us off to tower. It was my understanding that we were to intercept and track the localizer for runway 35R. I can not say with complete certainty that he said runway 35R instead of runway 35L. I believe that my expectations based on prior flights as landing on runway 35R may have had an impact on what I thought I heard instead of what was actually said. The captain and I were on the same sheet of music with our briefing and approach; we were unfortunately not with what approach said or meant to say. Working the ECAM items may have been a factor in us missing the approach assignment or misunderstanding the assignment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW TRACKS LOC TO RWY 35R INSTEAD OF RWY 35L AS INSTRUCTED BY APCH CTL.

Narrative: IN OUR DESCENT FROM APPROXIMATELY 11;000 FEET RECEIVED AN ECAM ALERT. WE HAD THE RIGHT HIGH PRESSURE VALVE FAULT. I FLEW THE AIRPLANE AND THE CAPTAIN WORKED THE ECAM/QRH ITEMS. WE HAD BRIEFED AND HAD THE AIRPLANE SET UP FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RWY 35R. WE FULLY EXPECTED THIS RUNWAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AND WE WERE AN EASTBOUND ARRIVAL. SINCE STARTING THIS EVENING TURN LINE; WHEN LANDING TO THE NORTH; I HAVE ALWAYS LANDED ON RWY 35R. LOUISVILLE APPROACH ASKED US TO FLY HEADING 320 AND INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER. I TURNED THE HEADING TO 320 AND ARMED V/L. WE RECEIVED LOCALIZER ALIVE THEN LOC. I SET RUNWAY HEADING. THE CONTROLLER THEN CAME BACK AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE RIGHT OF COURSE. WE QUICKLY CHECKED THE PFD/FMA TO VERIFY WE WERE TRACKING LOCALIZER. THE CAPTAIN MENTIONED WE WERE TRACKING THE LOCALIZER FOR RWY 35R. THE CONTROLLER THEN TOLD US TO 'FLY 320 FOR RWY 35L THAT OUR TAG HAD US GOING TO RWY 35L.' WE QUICKLY ADJUSTED OUR HEADING. THE CAPTAIN SET IN THE RWY 35L FREQUENCY AND I WENT TO ARC MODE AND TRACKED THE LOCALIZER WHILE HE ENTERED THE APPROACH INTO THE FMC. APPROACH CLEARED US FOR THE ILS RWY 35L WITH SPEED 170 TO MARKER. HE THEN HANDED US OFF TO TOWER. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE TO INTERCEPT AND TRACK THE LOCALIZER FOR RWY 35R. I CAN NOT SAY WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY THAT HE SAID RWY 35R INSTEAD OF RWY 35L. I BELIEVE THAT MY EXPECTATIONS BASED ON PRIOR FLIGHTS AS LANDING ON RWY 35R MAY HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD INSTEAD OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID. THE CAPTAIN AND I WERE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC WITH OUR BRIEFING AND APPROACH; WE WERE UNFORTUNATELY NOT WITH WHAT APPROACH SAID OR MEANT TO SAY. WORKING THE ECAM ITEMS MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN US MISSING THE APPROACH ASSIGNMENT OR MISUNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT.

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.