B737-200 aircraft was lined up for wrong airport when approach controller intervened and provided heading vectors for destination airport. Reporter says that the approach controller says it happens regularly -- the confusion between providence and quonset gate airports.

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Attributes
ACN	367882
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	367882
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Beautiful VFR day, strong gusty northwest winds, cleared for visual approach to providence airport runway 34. I've been to pvd numerous times, usually to runway 5 or runway 23, as it is longer than runway 34. We reported field in sight and began maneuvering for final approach. Out of about 1500 ft I was getting a 'funny feeling' due to no GS indication. About then I checked the DME and it didn't jive with the visual estimate of about 4 or 5 mi from touchdown. Right then pvd approach control suggested a turn to the northeast to get lined up for pvd, as it looked to them like we were lining up on quonset state airport. Boy was I embarrassed! I called them on the phone and they said that happens quite regularly. An air carrier made a touch and go at quonset state a couple of yrs ago. This was last leg of a fairly long day, we were going to layover in pvd. Got complacent and let my guard drop!! However, if approach control sees this on a regular basis, maybe there's a bigger problem here?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 ACFT WAS LINED UP FOR WRONG ARPT WHEN APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND PROVIDED HEADING VECTORS FOR DEST ARPT. RPTR SAYS THAT THE APCH CTLR SAYS IT HAPPENS REGULARLY -- THE CONFUSION BTWN PROVIDENCE AND QUONSET GATE ARPTS.

Narrative: BEAUTIFUL VFR DAY, STRONG GUSTY NW WINDS, CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO PROVIDENCE ARPT RWY 34. I'VE BEEN TO PVD NUMEROUS TIMES, USUALLY TO RWY 5 OR RWY 23, AS IT IS LONGER THAN RWY 34. WE RPTED FIELD IN SIGHT AND BEGAN MANEUVERING FOR FINAL APCH. OUT OF ABOUT 1500 FT I WAS GETTING A 'FUNNY FEELING' DUE TO NO GS INDICATION. ABOUT THEN I CHKED THE DME AND IT DIDN'T JIVE WITH THE VISUAL ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 4 OR 5 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN. RIGHT THEN PVD APCH CTL SUGGESTED A TURN TO THE NE TO GET LINED UP FOR PVD, AS IT LOOKED TO THEM LIKE WE WERE LINING UP ON QUONSET STATE ARPT. BOY WAS I EMBARRASSED! I CALLED THEM ON THE PHONE AND THEY SAID THAT HAPPENS QUITE REGULARLY. AN ACR MADE A TOUCH AND GO AT QUONSET STATE A COUPLE OF YRS AGO. THIS WAS LAST LEG OF A FAIRLY LONG DAY, WE WERE GOING TO LAYOVER IN PVD. GOT COMPLACENT AND LET MY GUARD DROP!! HOWEVER, IF APCH CTL SEES THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, MAYBE THERE'S A BIGGER PROB HERE?

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.