S80 flight crew deviation during approach to wrong airport in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	354930
Time
Date	199612
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oma
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	military facility : off tracon : oma tower : cmh
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	354930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	354931
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location: oma. On descent to oma, given visual approach to runway 32L. I continued to descend and turn in to the airport. I was, planning on joining the final inside the marker at 1500 ft AGL. As aircraft reached the visual/final I noticed that locater needle had yet to swing, GS and localizer had not broken loose. I then realized that I had conducted a very nice visual approach to offut AFB. Stopped descent and maneuver to join the correct final. Controller alerted us at the same time as I caught the mistake. The WX was very clear. I always have all the navaids tuned so as to prevent this from happening. After some discussion we were both convinced we saw the correct airport. That is when I elected to aim inside the marker and not reference the navaids. Lesson learned. ATC said nothing except to provide instructions to final at correct airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 FLC DEV DURING APCH TO WRONG ARPT IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: LOCATION: OMA. ON DSCNT TO OMA, GIVEN VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32L. I CONTINUED TO DSND AND TURN IN TO THE ARPT. I WAS, PLANNING ON JOINING THE FINAL INSIDE THE MARKER AT 1500 FT AGL. AS ACFT REACHED THE VISUAL/FINAL I NOTICED THAT LOCATER NEEDLE HAD YET TO SWING, GS AND LOC HAD NOT BROKEN LOOSE. I THEN REALIZED THAT I HAD CONDUCTED A VERY NICE VISUAL APCH TO OFFUT AFB. STOPPED DSCNT AND MANEUVER TO JOIN THE CORRECT FINAL. CTLR ALERTED US AT THE SAME TIME AS I CAUGHT THE MISTAKE. THE WX WAS VERY CLR. I ALWAYS HAVE ALL THE NAVAIDS TUNED SO AS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WE WERE BOTH CONVINCED WE SAW THE CORRECT ARPT. THAT IS WHEN I ELECTED TO AIM INSIDE THE MARKER AND NOT REF THE NAVAIDS. LESSON LEARNED. ATC SAID NOTHING EXCEPT TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO FINAL AT CORRECT ARPT.

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.