Flight crew of an medium large transport lined up for a night visual approach to the wrong airport. Approach controller intervened to warn them of their error. Controller had previously instructed the crew to advise when the field was in sight, which they did, but it was the wrong airport.

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Attributes
ACN	397543
Time
Date	199803
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
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 : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	397543
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	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:

After 1 hour 50 mins en route deviating around thunderstorms, arrived in bna area to clear skies and smooth air. Planned visual approach to runway 20R at bna. Approach control advised us to call the field in sight. We saw an airport at 12 O'clock position and 10 DME. Received clearance for visual approach. I dialed in runway 20R localizer frequency and needle moved from left to centered as we crossed final to the wrong airport. Never descended below 3500 ft and approach control pointed out lined up for wrong airport. Landed bna normal. We were receiving a false localizer signal from the offset.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG LINED UP FOR A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT. APCH CTLR INTERVENED TO WARN THEM OF THEIR ERROR. CTLR HAD PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED THE CREW TO ADVISE WHEN THE FIELD WAS IN SIGHT, WHICH THEY DID, BUT IT WAS THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER 1 HR 50 MINS ENRTE DEVIATING AROUND TSTMS, ARRIVED IN BNA AREA TO CLR SKIES AND SMOOTH AIR. PLANNED VISUAL APCH TO RWY 20R AT BNA. APCH CTL ADVISED US TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT. WE SAW AN ARPT AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND 10 DME. RECEIVED CLRNC FOR VISUAL APCH. I DIALED IN RWY 20R LOC FREQ AND NEEDLE MOVED FROM L TO CTRED AS WE CROSSED FINAL TO THE WRONG ARPT. NEVER DSNDED BELOW 3500 FT AND APCH CTL POINTED OUT LINED UP FOR WRONG ARPT. LANDED BNA NORMAL. WE WERE RECEIVING A FALSE LOC SIGNAL FROM THE OFFSET.

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.