Date: 201911
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: BED.Tower, MA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Medium Transport
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Ferry / Re-Positioning
Flight phase: Landing
Airspace: Class D BED
ATC / advisory: Tower BED
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Anomaly: Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Airport
Primary problem: Airport

Narrative: Landing Airport BED at night. Landing phase of flight. Communication error between pilots (since the runway was on the right side I did not want to lose sight of the runway.) Airport runway lights were brighter and seen better turning crosswind on Runway 23 than Runway 29 so they were mistaken as Runway 29. At night we had the FMS programmed for the ILS Runway 29. The direction we were coming from was straight in from ZZZ. Boston Center brought us around the whole airport to enter a right downwind for Runway 29 where they vectored us. We were cleared for the visual approach for Runway 29 at BED. After cleared for the approach for Runway 29 entering right downwind; Center handed us off to Tower. After Tower cleared us to land number 2; we descended to traffic pattern altitude 1;500 feet AGL which was 1;700 feet where the copilot was hand flying. We were 2nd in line to land and had the traffic in sight when they landed we were midfield right downwind. The airport was to our right. We were abeam the end of Runway 29; the First Officer called for gear down before landing checklist. I put my head down to read it and make sure the checklist got done. When I got done reading the checklist I brought my head up we were turning base and I said there is the runway not very specific that's when he turned to Runway 23. Not knowing we shot through and correcting back to Runway 23 thinking it was Runway 29. We thought we were on Runway 29 I made the mistake by not looking down at the heading indicator. The lights were brighter for the runway we were aligning with. You could not make out if there was another runway ahead farther so we thought it was Runway 29. Tower then came on and told us we were not lined up with Runway 29 and asked us if we would like to land Runway 23. Since they gave us the option I thought it was ok to change. I asked them was it available and they said yes. The Tower then cleared us to land Runway 23. I acknowledged it back 'clear to land Runway 23'. The tower at BED gave us a clearance to land Runway 23. After we had landed Tower had informed us over the radio to call them on the phone. After parking the aircraft at the FBO and shut down I called the Tower. Tower had told us this is happening often and wondered why we lined up with Runway 23 instead of Runway 29. I told them the lights for Runway 23 were brighter and lost track of Runway 29 lights thinking Runway 23 was Runway 29. I mentioned we were still high and could have repositioned for Runway 29 in maneuvering but they cleared us to land Runway 23. Runway lights for Runway 29 were not that bright blended in with the airport environment and we thought Runway 23 was Runway 29. The outcome was they were going to be filing a report because we deviated so it was going to be a pilot deviation. At night only do approaches if it the Tower said it happens a lot.




Synopsis: Corporate Jet Captain reported that a visual illusion from runway lighting caused them to line up with the wrong runway on approach to BED.