B737-300 arriving den is given vectors to intercept ILS 35L when they were told to expect and were s...

Attributes
ACN	759402
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : dandd
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12400 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	759402
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	759284
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

While en route to den we were advised via ACARS of den being a 2 runway operation due to 'staffing issues' in den. We were told that we might be slowed and/or held going into den. Luckily; I had uploaded some extra fuel. We continued and were slowed to 240 KTS approximately 150 NM out. We continued in and were progressively descended on the dandd arrival. Around dandd we were vectored west and descended to 13000 ft MSL. We were told to expect runway 35R. We set up and briefed an approach to runway 35R. It was night and we were IMC. 2 controllers later; as we were being vectored to final; when we were approximately 7 mi from the FAF we were given our approach clearance. The controller gave a standard type clearance that included a heading; minimum altitude until established and then 'cleared for ILS runway 35L.' as we usually are during that phase of flight; our cockpit was busy with aircraft confign and checklists -- the frequency was busy also with numerous arriving aircraft. Triple simultaneous ILS approachs were being conducted. I read back the clearance and hesitated at the '35L' part. I asked my copilot if we were on the left or the right. She replied on the right. I asked the controller what runway we were cleared for; he responded that we were cleared for the ILS runway 35L. At that time I said we were not set up for the left and he climbed us and vectored us in a box pattern to set us up for the ILS runway 35L. We scrambled to get set up and brief the new approach. We were vectored and flew the ILS runway 35L with an uneventful landing. If I had just said 'cleared for the approach;' and continued for runway 35R; or if my readback had been stepped on; would there have been a 'conflict?' what if I had accepted an aircraft with an inoperative TCAS? Or some other aircraft had inoperative TCAS. How would having 2 or 3 aircraft responding to RA's have impacted that operation? At night and IMC. I know myself and my first officer were both fatigued and I have to wonder if TRACON was fatigued also. What was the staffing issue?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 ARRIVING DEN IS GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT ILS 35L WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO EXPECT AND WERE SET UP FOR THE ILS 35R. ACFT WAS THEN VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH TO 35L.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO DEN WE WERE ADVISED VIA ACARS OF DEN BEING A 2 RWY OP DUE TO 'STAFFING ISSUES' IN DEN. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE MIGHT BE SLOWED AND/OR HELD GOING INTO DEN. LUCKILY; I HAD UPLOADED SOME EXTRA FUEL. WE CONTINUED AND WERE SLOWED TO 240 KTS APPROX 150 NM OUT. WE CONTINUED IN AND WERE PROGRESSIVELY DSNDED ON THE DANDD ARR. AROUND DANDD WE WERE VECTORED W AND DSNDED TO 13000 FT MSL. WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 35R. WE SET UP AND BRIEFED AN APCH TO RWY 35R. IT WAS NIGHT AND WE WERE IMC. 2 CTLRS LATER; AS WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO FINAL; WHEN WE WERE APPROX 7 MI FROM THE FAF WE WERE GIVEN OUR APCH CLRNC. THE CTLR GAVE A STANDARD TYPE CLRNC THAT INCLUDED A HDG; MINIMUM ALT UNTIL ESTABLISHED AND THEN 'CLRED FOR ILS RWY 35L.' AS WE USUALLY ARE DURING THAT PHASE OF FLT; OUR COCKPIT WAS BUSY WITH ACFT CONFIGN AND CHKLISTS -- THE FREQ WAS BUSY ALSO WITH NUMEROUS ARRIVING ACFT. TRIPLE SIMULTANEOUS ILS APCHS WERE BEING CONDUCTED. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AND HESITATED AT THE '35L' PART. I ASKED MY COPLT IF WE WERE ON THE L OR THE R. SHE REPLIED ON THE R. I ASKED THE CTLR WHAT RWY WE WERE CLRED FOR; HE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 35L. AT THAT TIME I SAID WE WERE NOT SET UP FOR THE L AND HE CLBED US AND VECTORED US IN A BOX PATTERN TO SET US UP FOR THE ILS RWY 35L. WE SCRAMBLED TO GET SET UP AND BRIEF THE NEW APCH. WE WERE VECTORED AND FLEW THE ILS RWY 35L WITH AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. IF I HAD JUST SAID 'CLRED FOR THE APCH;' AND CONTINUED FOR RWY 35R; OR IF MY READBACK HAD BEEN STEPPED ON; WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A 'CONFLICT?' WHAT IF I HAD ACCEPTED AN ACFT WITH AN INOP TCAS? OR SOME OTHER ACFT HAD INOP TCAS. HOW WOULD HAVING 2 OR 3 ACFT RESPONDING TO RA'S HAVE IMPACTED THAT OP? AT NIGHT AND IMC. I KNOW MYSELF AND MY FO WERE BOTH FATIGUED AND I HAVE TO WONDER IF TRACON WAS FATIGUED ALSO. WHAT WAS THE STAFFING ISSUE?

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.

B737-300 arriving den is given vectors to intercept ILS 35L when they were told to expect and were set up for the ILS 35R. Aircraft was then vectored for another approach to 35L.