Narrative:

We departed fayetteville, ar en route to joplin, mo, which is an approximately 30 min flight. En route to joplin the visibility deteriorated due to fog and haze. We contacted center and we were cleared direct to joplin. Since there is no NAVAID on the field, I asked for vectors to the LOM for ILS 13 which is approximately 4 northwest of the field. I normally use neosho VOR and DME to locate joplin airport. The neosho VOR is 18 mi south of joplin and was OTS. Center gave us the WX and told us to expect visual to runway 18 at joplin and told us to report the field in sight. A short time later, I saw a rotating beacon and a lighted n-s runway. I told center I had the airport in sight and was cleared for the visual 18. When I entered final, again I told center, but was below radar coverage. I switched over to joplin tower and told them I was on final for 18. There was no response. I assumed the tower was not yet open. I landed and realized I was at the wrong airport. I was unable to reach center, FSS, or unicom on the field. There was no FBO open. Since I had sufficient runway, I departed and contacted center and told them of the situation. Contributing factors: extremely poor visibility, NAVAID OTS, new first officer third day on job, new to area, flew long schedule on preceding day followed by min rest. It could have been prevented by asking center to confirm our position relative to the airport and looking for more positive indications of the joplin field.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LTT ACR ACFT INADVERTENTLY LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED FAYETTEVILLE, AR ENRTE TO JOPLIN, MO, WHICH IS AN APPROX 30 MIN FLT. ENRTE TO JOPLIN THE VISIBILITY DETERIORATED DUE TO FOG AND HAZE. WE CONTACTED CTR AND WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO JOPLIN. SINCE THERE IS NO NAVAID ON THE FIELD, I ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE LOM FOR ILS 13 WHICH IS APPROX 4 NW OF THE FIELD. I NORMALLY USE NEOSHO VOR AND DME TO LOCATE JOPLIN ARPT. THE NEOSHO VOR IS 18 MI S OF JOPLIN AND WAS OTS. CTR GAVE US THE WX AND TOLD US TO EXPECT VISUAL TO RWY 18 AT JOPLIN AND TOLD US TO RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT. A SHORT TIME LATER, I SAW A ROTATING BEACON AND A LIGHTED N-S RWY. I TOLD CTR I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL 18. WHEN I ENTERED FINAL, AGAIN I TOLD CTR, BUT WAS BELOW RADAR COVERAGE. I SWITCHED OVER TO JOPLIN TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS ON FINAL FOR 18. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I ASSUMED THE TWR WAS NOT YET OPEN. I LANDED AND REALIZED I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. I WAS UNABLE TO REACH CTR, FSS, OR UNICOM ON THE FIELD. THERE WAS NO FBO OPEN. SINCE I HAD SUFFICIENT RWY, I DEPARTED AND CONTACTED CTR AND TOLD THEM OF THE SITUATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITY, NAVAID OTS, NEW FO THIRD DAY ON JOB, NEW TO AREA, FLEW LONG SCHEDULE ON PRECEDING DAY FOLLOWED BY MIN REST. IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY ASKING CTR TO CONFIRM OUR POS RELATIVE TO THE ARPT AND LOOKING FOR MORE POSITIVE INDICATIONS OF THE JOPLIN FIELD.

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.