Narrative:

While en route from bos to mht level at 5000 ft, I (the captain and PF) was flying in VFR conditions. Bos approach had just handed us off to mht approach and my first officer reported in with the current ATIS. We were then told that the runway had changed from runway 6 to runway 35. The controller then asked us if we would like runway 35. We answered yes. I then told my first officer that I had the airport in sight and to inform mht approach that we had the airport. The approach controller then cleared us for a visual approach. At the time it appeared to me that we were very high so I asked the first officer to request a 360 degree turn to lose altitude. This was approved by mht approach. I then descended to 1800 ft and was setting up for the approach when mht approach informed me that I was on a 8 mi left base for runway 35. I then looked up to verify our position on the LORAN. It showed us 9 mi south of the airport. I then realized that the airport I thought was mht was really nashua (boire), nh. I then climbed to 2000 ft and located mht airport and landed without incident. The following were probable contributing factors to this situation: 1) this is a 40 NM flight. The average flight time is 15 mins. This gives a crew very little time to copy the ATIS, call in-range brief passenger, brief the approach, perform checklists and communication with ATC. 2) this was my first time into mht airport at night and I should have been more careful and utilized all available navaids. At this time I still do not know if I had actually penetrated the nashua air traffic area. I am filing this report only as a precaution.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT DSNDS AND FLIES TOWARD WRONG ARPT. ENTERS ATA.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM BOS TO MHT LEVEL AT 5000 FT, I (THE CAPT AND PF) WAS FLYING IN VFR CONDITIONS. BOS APCH HAD JUST HANDED US OFF TO MHT APCH AND MY FO RPTED IN WITH THE CURRENT ATIS. WE WERE THEN TOLD THAT THE RWY HAD CHANGED FROM RWY 6 TO RWY 35. THE CTLR THEN ASKED US IF WE WOULD LIKE RWY 35. WE ANSWERED YES. I THEN TOLD MY FO THAT I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND TO INFORM MHT APCH THAT WE HAD THE ARPT. THE APCH CTLR THEN CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. AT THE TIME IT APPEARED TO ME THAT WE WERE VERY HIGH SO I ASKED THE FO TO REQUEST A 360 DEG TURN TO LOSE ALT. THIS WAS APPROVED BY MHT APCH. I THEN DSNDED TO 1800 FT AND WAS SETTING UP FOR THE APCH WHEN MHT APCH INFORMED ME THAT I WAS ON A 8 MI L BASE FOR RWY 35. I THEN LOOKED UP TO VERIFY OUR POS ON THE LORAN. IT SHOWED US 9 MI S OF THE ARPT. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE ARPT I THOUGHT WAS MHT WAS REALLY NASHUA (BOIRE), NH. I THEN CLBED TO 2000 FT AND LOCATED MHT ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE FOLLOWING WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SIT: 1) THIS IS A 40 NM FLT. THE AVERAGE FLT TIME IS 15 MINS. THIS GIVES A CREW VERY LITTLE TIME TO COPY THE ATIS, CALL IN-RANGE BRIEF PAX, BRIEF THE APCH, PERFORM CHKLISTS AND COM WITH ATC. 2) THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME INTO MHT ARPT AT NIGHT AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL AND UTILIZED ALL AVAILABLE NAVAIDS. AT THIS TIME I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF I HAD ACTUALLY PENETRATED THE NASHUA ATA. I AM FILING THIS RPT ONLY AS A PRECAUTION.

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.