SPATIAL DISORIENTATION RPTED IN WRONG RWY APCH.
Synopsis
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION RPTED IN WRONG RWY APCH.
Narrative
ON FINAL APCH TO BWI; THE CAPT AND I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL ODOR IN THE COCKPIT; NOT STRONG; BUT SIMILAR TO ANTIFREEZE. BALTIMORE APCH TOLD US TO EXPECT RWY 33. WE REQUESTED RWY 28 AND TOLD APCH WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. APCH CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28. I WAS LOOKING DOWN IN MY BRIEFCASE; PULLING RWY 28 ILS OUT FOR BACKUP. LOOKED UP AND NOTICED THE CAPT TURNING THE ACFT AWAY FROM RWY 28 TOWARD THE N. I QUERIED HIM AS TO WHERE WE WERE GOING. HE SAID RWY 28 AND I SAID SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. THEN HE LINED THE ACFT ON A 220 DEG HDG. ABOUT THAT TIME; TWR CALLED AND TOLD US WE WERE LINED UP ON RWY 22 AND ASKED IF WE COULD SIDESTEP TO RWY 28. WE SAID YES AND LANDED ON RWY 28 WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALSO LEAVING CLE FOR FLT TO BWI WE CLBED TO FL290. WHEN ORDERED TO START OUR DSCNT FROM FL290; I NOTICED ALTIMETER (CAPT AND FO'S) SET ON 30.49 AND BROUGHT THIS TO CAPT'S ATTN. WE RESET TO 29.92. I AND CAPT HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. ONCE ON GND AT BWI; WE ASKED THE AGENT WHO CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT IF HE SMELLED ANYTHING. HE SAID YES. WE ALSO ASKED THE 2 MECHS WHO CAME UP TO THE COCKPIT; AND THEY SMELLED SOMETHING SWEET. NO LEAKAGE WAS NOTICED FROM RAIN REPELLENT BOTTLE BEHIND FO'S SEAT. CAPT HAD ARPT MEDICS MEET US AND REQUESTED OXYGEN. HE SAID HE FELT A LITTLE DIZZY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.