Narrative:

On flight into jfk, TRACON cleared us for the VOR 13R approach, and by asult turned us over to the jfk tower. The tower controller said that 13L was now open and we were cleared to land on 13L. At about 200', I noticed a truck on the overrun area before the runway and a workman walking out into that area. I asked the tower if he was sure that this runway was open. His answer was it was closed and to go around. While on the go the controller issued instruction for 22R, I thought. After getting the aircraft into an approach mode again, I asked to confirm the runway again and thought I heard 22R again, but on final to that runway, again the controller said that it was closed. This was at less than 500'. The controller then seemed confused as to which runway we should use, as he suggested a right turn to 31L. Since we were low and would require a 90 degree turn, we rejected that and landed on 13R. After landing we were requested to call the tower by phone. The tower supervisor on the phone brushed off their mistake and concentrated on ours (which I don't believe was a mistake) for lining up on 22R instead of 22L as per the tower instruction. He said that no violation had taken place, so no action was necessary. I was still in question about the 22R/left instruction and what we thought we heard, so I just said ok and hung up. As I arrived back in the cockpit talking with the first officer, I was more convinced that we heard 22R. At that time, I sure would have liked to have heard the tapes to relieve my mind about who had made the mistake. Why is it so hard to get these tapes replayed?? Is ATC trying to hide something??

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CLEARED COMMUTER TO LAND ON CLOSE RWY, AND ON SECOND APCH ACFT WAS ALSO ALIGNED WITH ANOTHER CLOSED RWY. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: ON FLT INTO JFK, TRACON CLRED US FOR THE VOR 13R APCH, AND BY ASULT TURNED US OVER TO THE JFK TWR. THE TWR CTLR SAID THAT 13L WAS NOW OPEN AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON 13L. AT ABOUT 200', I NOTICED A TRUCK ON THE OVERRUN AREA BEFORE THE RWY AND A WORKMAN WALKING OUT INTO THAT AREA. I ASKED THE TWR IF HE WAS SURE THAT THIS RWY WAS OPEN. HIS ANSWER WAS IT WAS CLOSED AND TO GO AROUND. WHILE ON THE GO THE CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTION FOR 22R, I THOUGHT. AFTER GETTING THE ACFT INTO AN APCH MODE AGAIN, I ASKED TO CONFIRM THE RWY AGAIN AND THOUGHT I HEARD 22R AGAIN, BUT ON FINAL TO THAT RWY, AGAIN THE CTLR SAID THAT IT WAS CLOSED. THIS WAS AT LESS THAN 500'. THE CTLR THEN SEEMED CONFUSED AS TO WHICH RWY WE SHOULD USE, AS HE SUGGESTED A RIGHT TURN TO 31L. SINCE WE WERE LOW AND WOULD REQUIRE A 90 DEG TURN, WE REJECTED THAT AND LANDED ON 13R. AFTER LNDG WE WERE REQUESTED TO CALL THE TWR BY PHONE. THE TWR SUPVR ON THE PHONE BRUSHED OFF THEIR MISTAKE AND CONCENTRATED ON OURS (WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE WAS A MISTAKE) FOR LINING UP ON 22R INSTEAD OF 22L AS PER THE TWR INSTRUCTION. HE SAID THAT NO VIOLATION HAD TAKEN PLACE, SO NO ACTION WAS NECESSARY. I WAS STILL IN QUESTION ABOUT THE 22R/L INSTRUCTION AND WHAT WE THOUGHT WE HEARD, SO I JUST SAID OK AND HUNG UP. AS I ARRIVED BACK IN THE COCKPIT TALKING WITH THE F/O, I WAS MORE CONVINCED THAT WE HEARD 22R. AT THAT TIME, I SURE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HEARD THE TAPES TO RELIEVE MY MIND ABOUT WHO HAD MADE THE MISTAKE. WHY IS IT SO HARD TO GET THESE TAPES REPLAYED?? IS ATC TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING??

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.