Corp small transport cleared for visual approach picks wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	141682
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdb airport : ads
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ads tower : ric
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1280
ASRS Report	141682
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon approaching ads, approach advised that the field was at 1 O'clock to 1:30 and 5 mi. I observed a field at 12:30 and proceeded direct. Upon arrival at the field, I observed 2 intersecting runways, not one, and began turning away from what was later found to be rbd. Ads tower also noticed my problem and advised a turn to 330 degrees to put my aircraft on final approach to ads. I had been assigned a visibility approach from the approach controller and I accepted, thinking that the field in view from my altitude and direction was ads; however, from 2500' and a direction of east, rbd is much more pronounced than ads. In conclusion, it was my mistake--but perhaps a warning from ATC about rbd would have helped. No traffic conflict observed and no apparently problems with ATC at ads concerning my mistake.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP SMT CLEARED FOR VISUAL APCH PICKS WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: UPON APCHING ADS, APCH ADVISED THAT THE FIELD WAS AT 1 O'CLOCK TO 1:30 AND 5 MI. I OBSERVED A FIELD AT 12:30 AND PROCEEDED DIRECT. UPON ARR AT THE FIELD, I OBSERVED 2 INTERSECTING RWYS, NOT ONE, AND BEGAN TURNING AWAY FROM WHAT WAS LATER FOUND TO BE RBD. ADS TWR ALSO NOTICED MY PROB AND ADVISED A TURN TO 330 DEGS TO PUT MY ACFT ON FINAL APCH TO ADS. I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A VIS APCH FROM THE APCH CTLR AND I ACCEPTED, THINKING THAT THE FIELD IN VIEW FROM MY ALT AND DIRECTION WAS ADS; HOWEVER, FROM 2500' AND A DIRECTION OF E, RBD IS MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED THAN ADS. IN CONCLUSION, IT WAS MY MISTAKE--BUT PERHAPS A WARNING FROM ATC ABOUT RBD WOULD HAVE HELPED. NO TFC CONFLICT OBSERVED AND NO APPARENTLY PROBS WITH ATC AT ADS CONCERNING MY MISTAKE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.