Narrative:

Aircraft X was being sequenced to runway 7R behind air carrier Y. Aircraft X reported air carrier Y in sight. I instructed aircraft X to fly heading 050 to join final; follow air carrier Y; and cleared the aircraft for a visual approach to runway 7R. The aircraft acknowledged the clearance. I then switched communications of aircraft X to phx tower. About 2 minutes later I noticed that aircraft X did not land; but was making a go-around. When aircraft X checked on my frequency I asked the reason for the go-around. The pilot responded that he was cleared for the wrong runway. I told him that my recollection was that he was cleared for visual approach to runway 7R; following air carrier Y ahead of him. The pilot said that he thought he was cleared for runway 7L. I then recalled that the tower had moved air carrier Y from runway 7R to runway 7L; and since aircraft X was cleared to follow air carrier Y; this was probably the source of confusion for aircraft X. Recommendation; the tower would probably want to consider re-emphasizing the runway assignment to aircraft X. Since I have no access to the tower frequencies; I don't know that the tower did not in fact do that.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P50 and PHX Tower Controller describe go around event that was initially caused by a confused landing runway assignment and further complicated by heading confusion involving the go around and other departure aircraft.

Narrative: Aircraft X was being sequenced to Runway 7R behind Air Carrier Y. Aircraft X reported Air Carrier Y in sight. I instructed Aircraft X to fly heading 050 to join final; follow Air Carrier Y; and cleared the aircraft for a visual approach to Runway 7R. The aircraft acknowledged the clearance. I then switched communications of Aircraft X to PHX Tower. About 2 minutes later I noticed that Aircraft X did not land; but was making a go-around. When Aircraft X checked on my frequency I asked the reason for the go-around. The pilot responded that he was cleared for the wrong runway. I told him that my recollection was that he was cleared for visual approach to Runway 7R; following Air Carrier Y ahead of him. The pilot said that he thought he was cleared for Runway 7L. I then recalled that the Tower had moved Air Carrier Y from Runway 7R to Runway 7L; and since Aircraft X was cleared to follow Air Carrier Y; this was probably the source of confusion for Aircraft X. Recommendation; the Tower would probably want to consider re-emphasizing the runway assignment to Aircraft X. Since I have no access to the Tower frequencies; I don't know that the Tower did not in fact do that.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.