Narrative:

On a part 91 flight from tol to pwk on a visual approach clearance to pwk, we called field in sight at about 7 SM from the field. Pwk tower cleared us to land runway 16. We did our final checklist, looked up and saw a truck on the landing runway. We called the tower and asked if there was a truck on the runway. They said no and cleared us to land. We were fixated on that truck on the runway. The PF said that we were lined up on a runway that happened to be at the wrong airport. We were trying to land on glenview navy station. It is a closed field 5 mi southeast of pwk. At this time we pwred up and went around, called pwk tower and told them we weren't at the right place. The tower replied pwk was 5 mi northwest of our present position, do you have the field? We replied, do now. Tower cleared us to land runway 16. No other problems arose during the remainder of our short trip. The tower at pwk said that this happens all the time, at least 3 or 4 times a week. We were the second that day. Something's wrong. Contributing factors: 1) there are 2 airfields within 5 mi of each other that have nearly identical runway layouts. 2) pwk, when coming from the east is nearly invisible compared to glenview naval station. Glenview has more concrete on its ramps, therefore it is easier to see. 3) we were more interested in the obstacle on the runway than our finding our airport. 4) the approach charts do not show glenview anywhere -- no notes, nothing. Corrective actions: 1) from now on, on final we will confirm that we have the right field with the GPS. 2) there needs to be better charting than there is. Having 2 airports that are that close together and look nearly identical without better charting than there is is almost a crime. Even the tower at pwk stated there was a problem.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SABRELINER ATX ACFT MAKES AN APCH TO THE CLOSED NAVAL AIR STATION AT GLENVIEW, THINKING THAT IT IS PWK WHICH WAS ANOTHER 4-5 MI NW OF THE CLOSED ARPT. APCH WAS TO RWY 16, THE SAME DIRECTION RWY AS AT PWK.

Narrative: ON A PART 91 FLT FROM TOL TO PWK ON A VISUAL APCH CLRNC TO PWK, WE CALLED FIELD IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 7 SM FROM THE FIELD. PWK TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 16. WE DID OUR FINAL CHKLIST, LOOKED UP AND SAW A TRUCK ON THE LNDG RWY. WE CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A TRUCK ON THE RWY. THEY SAID NO AND CLRED US TO LAND. WE WERE FIXATED ON THAT TRUCK ON THE RWY. THE PF SAID THAT WE WERE LINED UP ON A RWY THAT HAPPENED TO BE AT THE WRONG ARPT. WE WERE TRYING TO LAND ON GLENVIEW NAVY STATION. IT IS A CLOSED FIELD 5 MI SE OF PWK. AT THIS TIME WE PWRED UP AND WENT AROUND, CALLED PWK TWR AND TOLD THEM WE WEREN'T AT THE RIGHT PLACE. THE TWR REPLIED PWK WAS 5 MI NW OF OUR PRESENT POS, DO YOU HAVE THE FIELD? WE REPLIED, DO NOW. TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 16. NO OTHER PROBS AROSE DURING THE REMAINDER OF OUR SHORT TRIP. THE TWR AT PWK SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES A WK. WE WERE THE SECOND THAT DAY. SOMETHING'S WRONG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THERE ARE 2 AIRFIELDS WITHIN 5 MI OF EACH OTHER THAT HAVE NEARLY IDENTICAL RWY LAYOUTS. 2) PWK, WHEN COMING FROM THE E IS NEARLY INVISIBLE COMPARED TO GLENVIEW NAVAL STATION. GLENVIEW HAS MORE CONCRETE ON ITS RAMPS, THEREFORE IT IS EASIER TO SEE. 3) WE WERE MORE INTERESTED IN THE OBSTACLE ON THE RWY THAN OUR FINDING OUR ARPT. 4) THE APCH CHARTS DO NOT SHOW GLENVIEW ANYWHERE -- NO NOTES, NOTHING. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) FROM NOW ON, ON FINAL WE WILL CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT FIELD WITH THE GPS. 2) THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER CHARTING THAN THERE IS. HAVING 2 ARPTS THAT ARE THAT CLOSE TOGETHER AND LOOK NEARLY IDENTICAL WITHOUT BETTER CHARTING THAN THERE IS IS ALMOST A CRIME. EVEN THE TWR AT PWK STATED THERE WAS A PROB.

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.