Date: 201505
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: BWI.Airport, MD
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B BWI
ATC / advisory: Tower BWI
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Distraction; Confusion; Workload; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: First Officer
Anomaly: Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: On arrival into BWI. Was cleared for the visual to 33L and to follow a B737. I turned right to intercept the final course on the localizer. Set altitude 1;500 and aimed to join at FAF. I descended to the FAF and lost [the traffic] however my first officer maintained [traffic] in sight. I searched for the runway visually and being unfamiliar with BWI I thought I had the runway in sight. I began to trust my visual and cut in tighter than required and continued descent. I began to realize I was looking at 33R. Upon recognizing my misplaced position of the runway I turned back to the localizer to gain course. I approached below the glide slope and got a 'glide slope' aural once. I finally acquired the runway and began to correct visually. I briefly noticed a 'ground proximity' icon that went away. There was no aural warning. I was fixated outside. Continued and landed. I should have never gone fully visual. I knew I was unfamiliar and should have shot the ILS. A go around was probably the best option.


Second narrative: We were on the ANTHM One RNAV Arrival into BWI for runway 33L. We had briefed the visual to runway 33L backed up with the ILS to 33L. At approx ROAPS intersection we were told that there was a 737 on final for 33L. We told Approach that we had the traffic in sight and were cleared to follow the traffic for a visual approach to runway 33L. When turning base to final the captain saw the lights to runway 33R; thinking he was closer then he actually was he started to descend. I pointed out 33L and we continued for the runway. At this time we were low and the captain leveled off the aircraft. As we got closer we received the 'glide slope' aural warning; and the message ground proximity on the PFD. The captain corrected and we landed on 33L. As the pilot monitoring I should have called for a go around when the criteria for a stabilized approach was not meet. Additional factors were that the ALS to 33L was out of service. I would suggest better communication between crew members to help verify that they see the correct runway.Using another source; like an ILS or GPS; as a backup for the visual approach.Paying extra attention at night when conducting a visual approach especially when some visual cues like the ALS are not available.


Synopsis: A Captain cleared for a night visual to BWI Runway 33L erroneously visually locked on the Runway 33R lights and prematurely descended causing the 'GLIDESLOPE' aural alert and a brief PFD GROUND PROXIMITY alert. The First Officer correctly pointed out 33L.