Narrative:

This was a case of a visual approach in geg where we were issued a visual clearance to enter a left downwind to runway 21 and entered a left downwind for runway 25. We realized at a point in time; this was the incorrect runway (runway 25); abandoned the approach; maneuvered for a right 270 degree turn and flew the correct approach to the correct runway 21. I do believe we were in line with far's and company procedures/policies the entire time. The approach was stabilized with minor deviations upon rollout due to the PF lack of visibility for the runway in the turn. Pilot monitoring was giving information feedback during the turn. Complications were an unfamiliar airport; at night VMC with multiple aircraft in the airport environment. There was a helicopter on final for runway 21; another carrier B737 on a right downwind for runway 21 and a C5 inbound. Cues were the controller telling us we were too wide; the PF asking me if it looked right because something looked wrong; and the directional gyro not aligning up with the runway we were flying to. Also; the ILS just did not make sense as it was our backup. Once I; as the pilot monitoring; stated it was not correct; we broke off from the approach and requested a 270 degree turn for runway 21. This was all above 1000 ft afe. Turn and maneuver were accomplished in the landing confign within the limiting speeds. Otherwise; approach was normal. The geg company detail page should state to be careful for a possible mistaken approach to runway 25 while at night; on a left downwind. The size and location are quite similar. It also has a PAPI on the left. Using the ILS for runway 21 keeps you in line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW ENTERS DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25 RATHER THAN RWY 21; THE RWY THEY WERE CLRED A VISUAL APCH TO.

Narrative: THIS WAS A CASE OF A VISUAL APCH IN GEG WHERE WE WERE ISSUED A VISUAL CLRNC TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 21 AND ENTERED A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25. WE REALIZED AT A POINT IN TIME; THIS WAS THE INCORRECT RWY (RWY 25); ABANDONED THE APCH; MANEUVERED FOR A R 270 DEG TURN AND FLEW THE CORRECT APCH TO THE CORRECT RWY 21. I DO BELIEVE WE WERE IN LINE WITH FAR'S AND COMPANY PROCS/POLICIES THE ENTIRE TIME. THE APCH WAS STABILIZED WITH MINOR DEVS UPON ROLLOUT DUE TO THE PF LACK OF VISIBILITY FOR THE RWY IN THE TURN. PLT MONITORING WAS GIVING INFO FEEDBACK DURING THE TURN. COMPLICATIONS WERE AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT; AT NIGHT VMC WITH MULTIPLE ACFT IN THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. THERE WAS A HELI ON FINAL FOR RWY 21; ANOTHER CARRIER B737 ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21 AND A C5 INBOUND. CUES WERE THE CTLR TELLING US WE WERE TOO WIDE; THE PF ASKING ME IF IT LOOKED RIGHT BECAUSE SOMETHING LOOKED WRONG; AND THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO NOT ALIGNING UP WITH THE RWY WE WERE FLYING TO. ALSO; THE ILS JUST DID NOT MAKE SENSE AS IT WAS OUR BACKUP. ONCE I; AS THE PLT MONITORING; STATED IT WAS NOT CORRECT; WE BROKE OFF FROM THE APCH AND REQUESTED A 270 DEG TURN FOR RWY 21. THIS WAS ALL ABOVE 1000 FT AFE. TURN AND MANEUVER WERE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LNDG CONFIGN WITHIN THE LIMITING SPDS. OTHERWISE; APCH WAS NORMAL. THE GEG COMPANY DETAIL PAGE SHOULD STATE TO BE CAREFUL FOR A POSSIBLE MISTAKEN APCH TO RWY 25 WHILE AT NIGHT; ON A L DOWNWIND. THE SIZE AND LOCATION ARE QUITE SIMILAR. IT ALSO HAS A PAPI ON THE L. USING THE ILS FOR RWY 21 KEEPS YOU IN LINE.

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.