Narrative:

Crew fatigue; PF lack of use of automation/raw data and both pilots not familiar with the layout of the east side of dfw (not seeing runway 17L way off in the distance and to the far left of runways 17C/17R does not give you a clear mental/visual picture of the east side dfw airport layout). Already a very long day with earlier dfw WX causing a diversion to our alternate elp. Returning to dfw from elp; we were given a slam dunk visual approach to runway 17C. First officer was flying and was ready (stable) and configured for this. Extreme radio traffic caused the approach controller to hand us off late to the tower just as we were turning a 4 mi final. I first selected/heard the wrong tower frequency which cause more lack of awareness from me and I eventually got the correct tower frequency. Again; the tower was extremely busy and we received a clearance to land on runway 17C on about a 2 mi final. During that time I had not noticed the first officer (PF) had turned off all his automation including his flight director and he had aligned up with runway 17R mistakenly. My flight director/localizer showed we were right of course. With myself back in the loop; we are now on a 1-2 mi final; I questioned the first officer 'cleared for the visual/landing 17C correct?' he stated; 'yes it's the one we are aligned up with.' I noticed an aircraft in position on runway 17R. I stated 'this does not look right' and I said 'go around.' normal go around and landing from there. First officer later stated at the gate; that the aircraft in position on runway 17R appeared to him to be the one we were to follow to runway 17C and he used only visual cues not his localizer/GS providing raw data. After the normal go around; I confirmed we had the correct ILS tuned and reconfirmed the layout of the east side of the airport. I advised ATC that we believe we aligned up with the wrong runway (17R). Normal go around and landing. When you have a long day; you're tired. I believe automation is your best friend. Use it to your advantage. Confirm visual cues with raw data (localizer/GS). Try to keep both crew members in the loop of your use of automation. Don't let minor things distract the pilot monitoring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW ALIGNS WITH WRONG RWY ON NIGHT VISUAL APCH. REALIZING THEIR MISTAKE; GO-AROUND IS EXECUTED.

Narrative: CREW FATIGUE; PF LACK OF USE OF AUTOMATION/RAW DATA AND BOTH PLTS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE E SIDE OF DFW (NOT SEEING RWY 17L WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE AND TO THE FAR L OF RWYS 17C/17R DOES NOT GIVE YOU A CLR MENTAL/VISUAL PICTURE OF THE E SIDE DFW ARPT LAYOUT). ALREADY A VERY LONG DAY WITH EARLIER DFW WX CAUSING A DIVERSION TO OUR ALTERNATE ELP. RETURNING TO DFW FROM ELP; WE WERE GIVEN A SLAM DUNK VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17C. FO WAS FLYING AND WAS READY (STABLE) AND CONFIGURED FOR THIS. EXTREME RADIO TFC CAUSED THE APCH CTLR TO HAND US OFF LATE TO THE TWR JUST AS WE WERE TURNING A 4 MI FINAL. I FIRST SELECTED/HEARD THE WRONG TWR FREQ WHICH CAUSE MORE LACK OF AWARENESS FROM ME AND I EVENTUALLY GOT THE CORRECT TWR FREQ. AGAIN; THE TWR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 17C ON ABOUT A 2 MI FINAL. DURING THAT TIME I HAD NOT NOTICED THE FO (PF) HAD TURNED OFF ALL HIS AUTOMATION INCLUDING HIS FLT DIRECTOR AND HE HAD ALIGNED UP WITH RWY 17R MISTAKENLY. MY FLT DIRECTOR/LOC SHOWED WE WERE R OF COURSE. WITH MYSELF BACK IN THE LOOP; WE ARE NOW ON A 1-2 MI FINAL; I QUESTIONED THE FO 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL/LNDG 17C CORRECT?' HE STATED; 'YES IT'S THE ONE WE ARE ALIGNED UP WITH.' I NOTICED AN ACFT IN POS ON RWY 17R. I STATED 'THIS DOES NOT LOOK RIGHT' AND I SAID 'GO AROUND.' NORMAL GAR AND LNDG FROM THERE. FO LATER STATED AT THE GATE; THAT THE ACFT IN POS ON RWY 17R APPEARED TO HIM TO BE THE ONE WE WERE TO FOLLOW TO RWY 17C AND HE USED ONLY VISUAL CUES NOT HIS LOC/GS PROVIDING RAW DATA. AFTER THE NORMAL GAR; I CONFIRMED WE HAD THE CORRECT ILS TUNED AND RECONFIRMED THE LAYOUT OF THE E SIDE OF THE ARPT. I ADVISED ATC THAT WE BELIEVE WE ALIGNED UP WITH THE WRONG RWY (17R). NORMAL GAR AND LNDG. WHEN YOU HAVE A LONG DAY; YOU'RE TIRED. I BELIEVE AUTOMATION IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. CONFIRM VISUAL CUES WITH RAW DATA (LOC/GS). TRY TO KEEP BOTH CREW MEMBERS IN THE LOOP OF YOUR USE OF AUTOMATION. DON'T LET MINOR THINGS DISTRACT THE PLT MONITORING.

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.