Narrative:

We departed MMMY maintenance for lrd, tx. We were given 6000 ft during the descent and told to expedite. ZHU then gave us 3000 ft and a heading of 030 degrees, vector to intercept the localizer/back course runway 35L lrd and report the airport in sight. At the time, ZHU was very busy with other aircraft inbound to lrd and at 4000 ft we descended through the bottom layer of the overcast, when we reported the airport at our 10 O'clock position and about 5-8 mi. We were then cleared for a visual runway 35L but had not been told to contact lrd tower due to frequency congestion. Now we were rushed to get configured and accomplish the before landing checklist. On a 2-3 mi final and 1000 ft AGL, ZHU still had not switched us to lrd tower. At that moment we switched to lrd tower and reported short final runway 35L. Tower then asked us, 'say position, not in sight.' this is when we realized this was the wrong airport, and were lined up on runway 32 newla, mexico. Initiating a missed approach and reporting to lrd tower that we just did a low approach at newla, mexico, lrd tower told us to steer 050 degrees for laredo airport. We did and landed at lrd. There was no conflict with any other aircraft at newla. In the NOTAMS the localizer/back course runway 35L laredo, tx, was reported unstable. We thought by descending and on a heading of 030 degrees (center vector) we would break out of the overcast and get the visual before doing the unstable localizer/back course. In the future I will continue on the radar vector (if being vectored) or if no radar is available, commence an instrument approach if one is available and fully operational to the appropriate airport and runway.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO MLG BEGAN VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED MMMY MAINT FOR LRD, TX. WE WERE GIVEN 6000 FT DURING THE DSCNT AND TOLD TO EXPEDITE. ZHU THEN GAVE US 3000 FT AND A HDG OF 030 DEGS, VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE LOC/BACK COURSE RWY 35L LRD AND RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AT THE TIME, ZHU WAS VERY BUSY WITH OTHER ACFT INBOUND TO LRD AND AT 4000 FT WE DSNDED THROUGH THE BOTTOM LAYER OF THE OVCST, WHEN WE RPTED THE ARPT AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS AND ABOUT 5-8 MI. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL RWY 35L BUT HAD NOT BEEN TOLD TO CONTACT LRD TWR DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. NOW WE WERE RUSHED TO GET CONFIGURED AND ACCOMPLISH THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. ON A 2-3 MI FINAL AND 1000 FT AGL, ZHU STILL HAD NOT SWITCHED US TO LRD TWR. AT THAT MOMENT WE SWITCHED TO LRD TWR AND RPTED SHORT FINAL RWY 35L. TWR THEN ASKED US, 'SAY POS, NOT IN SIGHT.' THIS IS WHEN WE REALIZED THIS WAS THE WRONG ARPT, AND WERE LINED UP ON RWY 32 NEWLA, MEXICO. INITIATING A MISSED APCH AND RPTING TO LRD TWR THAT WE JUST DID A LOW APCH AT NEWLA, MEXICO, LRD TWR TOLD US TO STEER 050 DEGS FOR LAREDO ARPT. WE DID AND LANDED AT LRD. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT AT NEWLA. IN THE NOTAMS THE LOC/BACK COURSE RWY 35L LAREDO, TX, WAS RPTED UNSTABLE. WE THOUGHT BY DSNDING AND ON A HDG OF 030 DEGS (CTR VECTOR) WE WOULD BREAK OUT OF THE OVCST AND GET THE VISUAL BEFORE DOING THE UNSTABLE LOC/BACK COURSE. IN THE FUTURE I WILL CONTINUE ON THE RADAR VECTOR (IF BEING VECTORED) OR IF NO RADAR IS AVAILABLE, COMMENCE AN INST APCH IF ONE IS AVAILABLE AND FULLY OPERATIONAL TO THE APPROPRIATE ARPT AND RWY.

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.