Wrong airport approach in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	254306
Time
Date	199310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	254306
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	254621
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being vectored for a visual approach and were on a right downwind for runway 24R at lax airport. Approach called our base leg and we turned base and approach asked if we had the airport in sight, we said yes, but we really saw hawthorne municipal and thought it was lax, even though we had the ILS for runway 24R tuned in 108.5. We started the descent to the airport and approach told us to turn to a heading of 360 degrees and climb to 2500 ft and that we were in the approach path for runway 25L. We did as told and there was no further occurrence. There was no near miss or further evasive action taken. Being unfamiliar with the airport we should have not taken a visual approach at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ARPT APCH IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND WERE ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24R AT LAX ARPT. APCH CALLED OUR BASE LEG AND WE TURNED BASE AND APCH ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, WE SAID YES, BUT WE REALLY SAW HAWTHORNE MUNICIPAL AND THOUGHT IT WAS LAX, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THE ILS FOR RWY 24R TUNED IN 108.5. WE STARTED THE DSCNT TO THE ARPT AND APCH TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND CLB TO 2500 FT AND THAT WE WERE IN THE APCH PATH FOR RWY 25L. WE DID AS TOLD AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER OCCURRENCE. THERE WAS NO NEAR MISS OR FURTHER EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT WE SHOULD HAVE NOT TAKEN A VISUAL APCH AT NIGHT.

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.