Air ambulance flight makes approach to wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	195300
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : maf
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : maf
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	195300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan dal to E02 (odessa, tx). Part 135 air ambulance trip. Ceiling and visibility unlimited WX. Odessa is 8 mi west of midland international. During descent approach control cleared us to 5000 ft (2000 ft AGL) and maintain that until passing midland international. Approach advised us to tell him when we cancelled IFR. I misidented midland airpark airport as midland international and then midland international as odessa. I cancelled IFR and was advised to squawk 1200. We switched frequency to odessa unicom. We turned final for runway 16. I noticed an medium large transport at the terminal and realized that we were at midland international! Broke off the approach and contacted approach. They were trying to reach us. I apologized and approach informed us that they had not advised us to change frequencys. We then idented odessa 8 mi west and landed on its runway 16. I believe we misidented the airports because we were complacent in the nice ceiling and visibility unlimited WX. I expected to see odessa and I assumed I did. If I had paid attention to the navigation instruments I would have noticed the error. It was right in front of my face on the display. Be alert even with no traffic and perfect WX. We will be from now on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR AMBULANCE FLT MAKES APCH TO WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN DAL TO E02 (ODESSA, TX). PART 135 AIR AMBULANCE TRIP. CEILING AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED WX. ODESSA IS 8 MI W OF MIDLAND INTL. DURING DSCNT APCH CTL CLRED US TO 5000 FT (2000 FT AGL) AND MAINTAIN THAT UNTIL PASSING MIDLAND INTL. APCH ADVISED US TO TELL HIM WHEN WE CANCELLED IFR. I MISIDENTED MIDLAND AIRPARK ARPT AS MIDLAND INTL AND THEN MIDLAND INTL AS ODESSA. I CANCELLED IFR AND WAS ADVISED TO SQUAWK 1200. WE SWITCHED FREQ TO ODESSA UNICOM. WE TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 16. I NOTICED AN MLG AT THE TERMINAL AND REALIZED THAT WE WERE AT MIDLAND INTL! BROKE OFF THE APCH AND CONTACTED APCH. THEY WERE TRYING TO REACH US. I APOLOGIZED AND APCH INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD NOT ADVISED US TO CHANGE FREQS. WE THEN IDENTED ODESSA 8 MI W AND LANDED ON ITS RWY 16. I BELIEVE WE MISIDENTED THE ARPTS BECAUSE WE WERE COMPLACENT IN THE NICE CEILING AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED WX. I EXPECTED TO SEE ODESSA AND I ASSUMED I DID. IF I HAD PAID ATTN TO THE NAV INSTS I WOULD HAVE NOTICED THE ERROR. IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE ON THE DISPLAY. BE ALERT EVEN WITH NO TFC AND PERFECT WX. WE WILL BE FROM NOW ON.

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.