An atx pilot loses sight of the airport after receiving an additional vector for spacing and an expected visual approach to runway 5 at fwa. Pilot experiences a potential conflict with another aircraft #1 on approach.

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Attributes
ACN	404730
Time
Date	199806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fwa
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fwa tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATP Advanced Turboprop
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 84 flight time total : 3897 flight time type : 448
ASRS Report	404730
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After stating I had the airport in sight, I was given a 20 degree right of course vector, to expect runway 5. I put the ILS 5 frequency in the #1 navigation, expecting to fly along the localizer when cleared for the visual. When I looked again for the airport, I had lost sight of it, but waited for the localizer to center as I was on a left base for runway 5. The needle began to center and I turned inbound, still without the airport in sight. Then the navigation #1 flag signaled loss of localizer, and I felt like I had entered the twilight zone because the airport wasn't where it should have been. I told ATC I wanted to 'miss,' go back and try again, and apparently on the turn back out, I maneuvered in front of a batp doing practice approachs to fwa. Upon re-entry, the airport reappeared and I landed without further incident. I had never before understood how someone could lose situational awareness on a VFR night, but since it happened to me, I can understand better the vigilance needed to avoid this situation. Fatigue may have been a factor as it was nearly XA00, but I did not feel tired before the approach. I have also learned that I must confess the min I lose visual sight of the airport and not rely on navigation equipment! As my boss once said, 'flying is the most humbling thing I do.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX PLT LOSES SIGHT OF THE ARPT AFTER RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL VECTOR FOR SPACING AND AN EXPECTED VISUAL APCH TO RWY 5 AT FWA. PLT EXPERIENCES A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT #1 ON APCH.

Narrative: AFTER STATING I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, I WAS GIVEN A 20 DEG R OF COURSE VECTOR, TO EXPECT RWY 5. I PUT THE ILS 5 FREQ IN THE #1 NAV, EXPECTING TO FLY ALONG THE LOC WHEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. WHEN I LOOKED AGAIN FOR THE ARPT, I HAD LOST SIGHT OF IT, BUT WAITED FOR THE LOC TO CTR AS I WAS ON A L BASE FOR RWY 5. THE NEEDLE BEGAN TO CTR AND I TURNED INBOUND, STILL WITHOUT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THEN THE NAV #1 FLAG SIGNALED LOSS OF LOC, AND I FELT LIKE I HAD ENTERED THE TWILIGHT ZONE BECAUSE THE ARPT WASN'T WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I TOLD ATC I WANTED TO 'MISS,' GO BACK AND TRY AGAIN, AND APPARENTLY ON THE TURN BACK OUT, I MANEUVERED IN FRONT OF A BATP DOING PRACTICE APCHS TO FWA. UPON RE-ENTRY, THE ARPT REAPPEARED AND I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I HAD NEVER BEFORE UNDERSTOOD HOW SOMEONE COULD LOSE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON A VFR NIGHT, BUT SINCE IT HAPPENED TO ME, I CAN UNDERSTAND BETTER THE VIGILANCE NEEDED TO AVOID THIS SIT. FATIGUE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR AS IT WAS NEARLY XA00, BUT I DID NOT FEEL TIRED BEFORE THE APCH. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT I MUST CONFESS THE MIN I LOSE VISUAL SIGHT OF THE ARPT AND NOT RELY ON NAV EQUIP! AS MY BOSS ONCE SAID, 'FLYING IS THE MOST HUMBLING THING I DO.'

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.