Narrative:

I was operating into the dallas love field. Approach control asked if I had the field in sight and I advised them that I did. I was given a base leg heading to runway 13L. Cleared for the visual approach by approach control; and instructed to contact the tower. The turn was from a position fairly close to the approach end of runway 13L. During the turn I configured the aircraft for landing; ran the checklist; and looked out the left window again to verify the runway alignment for runway 13L. I have executed this visual approach many times over the yrs and although it is common for it to be a little busy when single pilot; it is simple enough to execute. On this occasion I did not immediately see the end of runway 13L as I rolled out on base leg. I remained at 2000 ft while I looked for it. I still had the airport in sight and the visibility was not a factor. A few seconds went by and as I began to key the microphone to contact the tower; the tower contacted me and asked if I had the airport in sight. I responded affirmatively and was subsequently cleared to land on runway 13L. A few seconds went by (5-10) and I saw the runway and realized that I had flown through the centerline of both runways 13L and 13R. As I was keying the microphone the tower called and asked if I had the airport in sight. I responded that I had the airport in sight but was not in a position to make a normal approach to runway 13L because I had passed the centerline of both runways 13L and 13R. They responded with directions to fly a heading of 060 degrees. I began executing the turn while contemplating the wisdom of such a turn given that an air carrier aircraft was approaching runway 13R. Within approximately 5-10 seconds after ordering the 060 degree heading; tower advised that I should execute a turn to the right to 360 degrees. I confirmed the instruction and stated that I thought that would work better. In the turn I was told to immediately climb to 3000 ft MSL and asked if I had a B737 in sight that was turning base to final for runway 13R. I responded that I did have that traffic and continued the climb. Once traffic was obviously not a factor I asked the controller if I needed to continue the climb. The controller stated that I could delete the climb clearance and was again cleared for the visual approach to runway 13L. I continued the approach and made a normal approach and landing. After landing I was instructed to call the dfw TRACON. I did so and they advised me that they had a separation deviation with an air carrier operating off the dfw airport. To the best of my knowledge; this deviation occurred while on a heading assigned by the dal tower. I was not talking to dfw approach and was executing the instructions directed by the dal tower controller. Having made many visual approachs without experiencing a similar problem; I believe that this was a completely random and once in a lifetime error with regard to missing the turn from base to final for runway 13L. The separation issue was not something I had control over but it would not have occurred had I turned final at the appropriate time. The potential consequences of missing a turn to final; especially at a busy airport with parallel runways; are very serious indeed. It was fortunate that at the time I made the error there was not a traffic situation that would lead to a catastrophe. I believe the most important factor that led up to the loss of separation issue with traffic departing dfw; and the issue of missing my turn to final; was that I did not immediately advise ATC of the problem. I waited a few seconds to re-identify the runway. Those few seconds could have resulted in death or injury to persons on the ground and airborne. Given the gravity of the incident; and the importance of ensuring that it does not happen again; I believe the following actions will help to prevent a recurrence of this type of error: 1) immediately upon losing sight of the runway of intended landing; or any type of orientation or alignment problem to a runway; contact the controling facility and advise them of your situation. Do not wait a few seconds to re-establish visual contact with the end of the runway. 2) when ATC asks if you have the airport in sight; do not respond affirmatively unless the approach end of the runway of intended landing is also insight and you are absolutely certain of that fact. Just having the 'airport' in sight is not good enough. 3) in addition to cockpit duties; scanning for traffic; etc; do not allow yourself to get distraction and lose orientation with the runway of intended landing. 4) remember that a visual approach is not an informal procedure; especially when operating to parallel runways. Failure to properly execute a visual approach is just as deadly as failing to properly execute other instrument approachs. 5) set up navigation equipment to verify runway alignment; if possible. Use it on every landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING VECTORS TO REALIGN WITH RWY 13L AT DAL; A TFC CONFLICT OCCURS WITH LCL TFC AND LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH DFW TFC FOLLOWS DURING CTLR ISSUED CLB.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING INTO THE DALLAS LOVE FIELD. APCH CTL ASKED IF I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND I ADVISED THEM THAT I DID. I WAS GIVEN A BASE LEG HDG TO RWY 13L. CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH BY APCH CTL; AND INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE TWR. THE TURN WAS FROM A POS FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE APCH END OF RWY 13L. DURING THE TURN I CONFIGURED THE ACFT FOR LNDG; RAN THE CHKLIST; AND LOOKED OUT THE L WINDOW AGAIN TO VERIFY THE RWY ALIGNMENT FOR RWY 13L. I HAVE EXECUTED THIS VISUAL APCH MANY TIMES OVER THE YRS AND ALTHOUGH IT IS COMMON FOR IT TO BE A LITTLE BUSY WHEN SINGLE PLT; IT IS SIMPLE ENOUGH TO EXECUTE. ON THIS OCCASION I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SEE THE END OF RWY 13L AS I ROLLED OUT ON BASE LEG. I REMAINED AT 2000 FT WHILE I LOOKED FOR IT. I STILL HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND THE VISIBILITY WAS NOT A FACTOR. A FEW SECONDS WENT BY AND AS I BEGAN TO KEY THE MIKE TO CONTACT THE TWR; THE TWR CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 13L. A FEW SECONDS WENT BY (5-10) AND I SAW THE RWY AND REALIZED THAT I HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE CTRLINE OF BOTH RWYS 13L AND 13R. AS I WAS KEYING THE MIKE THE TWR CALLED AND ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED THAT I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT BUT WAS NOT IN A POS TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH TO RWY 13L BECAUSE I HAD PASSED THE CTRLINE OF BOTH RWYS 13L AND 13R. THEY RESPONDED WITH DIRECTIONS TO FLY A HDG OF 060 DEGS. I BEGAN EXECUTING THE TURN WHILE CONTEMPLATING THE WISDOM OF SUCH A TURN GIVEN THAT AN ACR ACFT WAS APCHING RWY 13R. WITHIN APPROX 5-10 SECONDS AFTER ORDERING THE 060 DEG HDG; TWR ADVISED THAT I SHOULD EXECUTE A TURN TO THE R TO 360 DEGS. I CONFIRMED THE INSTRUCTION AND STATED THAT I THOUGHT THAT WOULD WORK BETTER. IN THE TURN I WAS TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY CLB TO 3000 FT MSL AND ASKED IF I HAD A B737 IN SIGHT THAT WAS TURNING BASE TO FINAL FOR RWY 13R. I RESPONDED THAT I DID HAVE THAT TFC AND CONTINUED THE CLB. ONCE TFC WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT A FACTOR I ASKED THE CTLR IF I NEEDED TO CONTINUE THE CLB. THE CTLR STATED THAT I COULD DELETE THE CLB CLRNC AND WAS AGAIN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 13L. I CONTINUED THE APCH AND MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. AFTER LNDG I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE DFW TRACON. I DID SO AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD A SEPARATION DEV WITH AN ACR OPERATING OFF THE DFW ARPT. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE; THIS DEV OCCURRED WHILE ON A HDG ASSIGNED BY THE DAL TWR. I WAS NOT TALKING TO DFW APCH AND WAS EXECUTING THE INSTRUCTIONS DIRECTED BY THE DAL TWR CTLR. HAVING MADE MANY VISUAL APCHS WITHOUT EXPERIENCING A SIMILAR PROB; I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS A COMPLETELY RANDOM AND ONCE IN A LIFETIME ERROR WITH REGARD TO MISSING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL FOR RWY 13L. THE SEPARATION ISSUE WAS NOT SOMETHING I HAD CTL OVER BUT IT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED HAD I TURNED FINAL AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF MISSING A TURN TO FINAL; ESPECIALLY AT A BUSY ARPT WITH PARALLEL RWYS; ARE VERY SERIOUS INDEED. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT AT THE TIME I MADE THE ERROR THERE WAS NOT A TFC SITUATION THAT WOULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHE. I BELIEVE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT LED UP TO THE LOSS OF SEPARATION ISSUE WITH TFC DEPARTING DFW; AND THE ISSUE OF MISSING MY TURN TO FINAL; WAS THAT I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY ADVISE ATC OF THE PROB. I WAITED A FEW SECONDS TO RE-IDENT THE RWY. THOSE FEW SECONDS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DEATH OR INJURY TO PERSONS ON THE GND AND AIRBORNE. GIVEN THE GRAVITY OF THE INCIDENT; AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN; I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS WILL HELP TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE OF ERROR: 1) IMMEDIATELY UPON LOSING SIGHT OF THE RWY OF INTENDED LNDG; OR ANY TYPE OF ORIENTATION OR ALIGNMENT PROB TO A RWY; CONTACT THE CTLING FACILITY AND ADVISE THEM OF YOUR SITUATION. DO NOT WAIT A FEW SECONDS TO RE-ESTABLISH VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE END OF THE RWY. 2) WHEN ATC ASKS IF YOU HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT; DO NOT RESPOND AFFIRMATIVELY UNLESS THE APCH END OF THE RWY OF INTENDED LNDG IS ALSO INSIGHT AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF THAT FACT. JUST HAVING THE 'ARPT' IN SIGHT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. 3) IN ADDITION TO COCKPIT DUTIES; SCANNING FOR TFC; ETC; DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET DISTR AND LOSE ORIENTATION WITH THE RWY OF INTENDED LNDG. 4) REMEMBER THAT A VISUAL APCH IS NOT AN INFORMAL PROC; ESPECIALLY WHEN OPERATING TO PARALLEL RWYS. FAILURE TO PROPERLY EXECUTE A VISUAL APCH IS JUST AS DEADLY AS FAILING TO PROPERLY EXECUTE OTHER INST APCHS. 5) SET UP NAV EQUIP TO VERIFY RWY ALIGNMENT; IF POSSIBLE. USE IT ON EVERY LNDG.

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.