First officer of a british jetstream 32 (BA32) made a visual approach turn early due to being misled by an erroneous localizer indication caused by the aircraft's location in relation to the localizer. Tower controller noticed the early turn and provided them a heading leading to the runway at which time they also sighted the airport.

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Attributes
ACN	421863
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Harrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	421863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 2438 flight time type : 820
ASRS Report	422440
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On our way in to hpn we were to expect shoreline visual approach to runway 34. We saw the shoreline and were instructed to follow it at 3000 ft and expect the visual to runway 34. Approach said descend to 2000 ft, cleared visual runway 34, contact tower. We got a full scale right localizer needle and first officer turned to a 360 degree heading to intercept. We selected new action, changed frequency, and crosschecked with FMC. Realized at that moment that we were east of course, checked in with tower. They realized also that we had made the turn early. Gave us a new heading for sequence in to the airport. We had the airport in sight and continued a visual approach. This early turn would have been avoided if we had declined the 'visual approach.' approach could have given a vector to intercept localizer and crosschecked prior to making the turn with our GPS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A BRITISH JETSTREAM 32 (BA32) MADE A VISUAL APCH TURN EARLY DUE TO BEING MISLED BY AN ERRONEOUS LOC INDICATION CAUSED BY THE ACFT'S LOCATION IN RELATION TO THE LOC. TWR CTLR NOTICED THE EARLY TURN AND PROVIDED THEM A HDG LEADING TO THE RWY AT WHICH TIME THEY ALSO SIGHTED THE ARPT.

Narrative: ON OUR WAY IN TO HPN WE WERE TO EXPECT SHORELINE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 34. WE SAW THE SHORELINE AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW IT AT 3000 FT AND EXPECT THE VISUAL TO RWY 34. APCH SAID DSND TO 2000 FT, CLRED VISUAL RWY 34, CONTACT TWR. WE GOT A FULL SCALE R LOC NEEDLE AND FO TURNED TO A 360 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT. WE SELECTED NEW ACTION, CHANGED FREQ, AND XCHKED WITH FMC. REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT THAT WE WERE E OF COURSE, CHKED IN WITH TWR. THEY REALIZED ALSO THAT WE HAD MADE THE TURN EARLY. GAVE US A NEW HDG FOR SEQUENCE IN TO THE ARPT. WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND CONTINUED A VISUAL APCH. THIS EARLY TURN WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD DECLINED THE 'VISUAL APCH.' APCH COULD HAVE GIVEN A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT LOC AND XCHKED PRIOR TO MAKING THE TURN WITH OUR GPS.

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.