Narrative:

While flying a visual to runway 1L we initially lined up our approach on the runway under construction. At about 3 miles from the runway and 1200 ft we corrected over to runway 1L and landed safely. The diagram of the airport is misleading with just an outline; it is a runway; when in fact it looks more like the runway than runway 1L does. Put out a warning like we did at sea while the runway is under construction; ie; easy to miss identification runway. I have made a special note in my iad pubs now and will brief it in the approach briefing.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that the concrete surface of the runway under construction is easier to acquire visually than the other runways. The localizer was the first clue that they were aligned with the wrong runway. Reporter feels that a NOTAM or company communication should be issued to warn flight crews of this distraction. The reporter believes that the airport diagram is deceiving; leading one to believe that the runway under construction would be obvious.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW LINED UP WITH RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION WHILE PERFORMING VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1L AT IAD.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING A VISUAL TO RWY 1L WE INITIALLY LINED UP OUR APPROACH ON THE RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AT ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE RWY AND 1200 FT WE CORRECTED OVER TO RWY 1L AND LANDED SAFELY. THE DIAGRAM OF THE AIRPORT IS MISLEADING WITH JUST AN OUTLINE; IT IS A RWY; WHEN IN FACT IT LOOKS MORE LIKE THE RWY THAN RWY 1L DOES. PUT OUT A WARNING LIKE WE DID AT SEA WHILE THE RWY IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION; IE; EASY TO MISS ID RWY. I HAVE MADE A SPECIAL NOTE IN MY IAD PUBS NOW AND WILL BRIEF IT IN THE APPROACH BRIEFING.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT THE CONCRETE SURFACE OF THE RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS EASIER TO ACQUIRE VISUALLY THAN THE OTHER RWYS. THE LOC WAS THE FIRST CLUE THAT THEY WERE ALIGNED WITH THE WRONG RWY. REPORTER FEELS THAT A NOTAM OR COMPANY COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE ISSUED TO WARN FLT CREWS OF THIS DISTRACTION. THE REPORTER BELIEVES THAT THE ARPT DIAGRAM IS DECEIVING; LEADING ONE TO BELIEVE THAT THE RWY UNDER CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE OBVIOUS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.