Narrative:

At 5000 ft MSL on right downwind to runway 6R at anc, the approach controller (118.6) asked if we had the airport in sight. I looked to my first officer, PF, and he said 'affirmative.' I said to the controller, 'roger, airport in sight.' the controller said, 'cleared for the visual approach to runway 6R, contact tower 118.3.' we confirmed this and set 2000 ft in the altitude alerter. We started the right base turn at 2000 ft MSL. The tower controller cleared us to land runway 6R. It was hazy with patchy mist below, not earlier visible at 5000 ft. In addition, the very bright aurora borealis (northern lights) created a glare on the lower mist and haze. Bruck NDB was off the air, so maneuvering at night, the anc VOR and campbell lake NDB became primary for orientation. From the right base, heading 335 degrees, the first officer (PF) asked me to join him on the ILS 111.3, thereby losing the anc VOR for orientation. I told him that campbell lake NDB points directly to the approach end of runway 6R. I noticed he had both his RMI needles to VOR, which gave no information now with no vors tuned. I put his left (#1) RMI paddle to ADF and said this points directly to runway 6R. While I was tuning and identing radios, he turned (hand flying) to heading 035 degrees, with campbell lake being at 350 degrees. He should have still been steering 335 degrees. In addition, the wind was now 350 degrees at 40 KTS, pushing us still further south of the runway 6R localizer. At this point the first officer said he was disoriented. I noticed the approach end lights had disappeared in the ground mist. I asked the controller for vectors for the ILS runway 6R. From now at 1000 ft MSL, I told the first officer to stop descent. At 800 ft MSL he recovered and started a climb to our newly assigned altitude of 2000 ft and turned to 300 degrees for the assigned vector. He only started our climb and turn at my insistence, at this point being disoriented and 'rattled.' I had him keep the plane at 160 KIAS while he collected himself and settled down. He resumed the approach and landed fine. I should have showed him campbell lake beacon on other charts during his briefing. Supplemental information from acn 428756: I lost visual with the airport and told the captain I was disoriented as to my position to the localizer as well. We requested vectors to the ILS (advised we lost the airport) and was given a climb and vectors to come back around for the ILS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PF BECAME DISORIENTED ON VISUAL APCH IN PART DUE TO AURORA BOREALIS REFLECTING OFF OF HAZE OVER APCH END OF RWY.

Narrative: AT 5000 FT MSL ON R DOWNWIND TO RWY 6R AT ANC, THE APCH CTLR (118.6) ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I LOOKED TO MY FO, PF, AND HE SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE.' I SAID TO THE CTLR, 'ROGER, ARPT IN SIGHT.' THE CTLR SAID, 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 6R, CONTACT TWR 118.3.' WE CONFIRMED THIS AND SET 2000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER. WE STARTED THE R BASE TURN AT 2000 FT MSL. THE TWR CTLR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 6R. IT WAS HAZY WITH PATCHY MIST BELOW, NOT EARLIER VISIBLE AT 5000 FT. IN ADDITION, THE VERY BRIGHT AURORA BOREALIS (NORTHERN LIGHTS) CREATED A GLARE ON THE LOWER MIST AND HAZE. BRUCK NDB WAS OFF THE AIR, SO MANEUVERING AT NIGHT, THE ANC VOR AND CAMPBELL LAKE NDB BECAME PRIMARY FOR ORIENTATION. FROM THE R BASE, HDG 335 DEGS, THE FO (PF) ASKED ME TO JOIN HIM ON THE ILS 111.3, THEREBY LOSING THE ANC VOR FOR ORIENTATION. I TOLD HIM THAT CAMPBELL LAKE NDB POINTS DIRECTLY TO THE APCH END OF RWY 6R. I NOTICED HE HAD BOTH HIS RMI NEEDLES TO VOR, WHICH GAVE NO INFO NOW WITH NO VORS TUNED. I PUT HIS L (#1) RMI PADDLE TO ADF AND SAID THIS POINTS DIRECTLY TO RWY 6R. WHILE I WAS TUNING AND IDENTING RADIOS, HE TURNED (HAND FLYING) TO HDG 035 DEGS, WITH CAMPBELL LAKE BEING AT 350 DEGS. HE SHOULD HAVE STILL BEEN STEERING 335 DEGS. IN ADDITION, THE WIND WAS NOW 350 DEGS AT 40 KTS, PUSHING US STILL FURTHER S OF THE RWY 6R LOC. AT THIS POINT THE FO SAID HE WAS DISORIENTED. I NOTICED THE APCH END LIGHTS HAD DISAPPEARED IN THE GND MIST. I ASKED THE CTLR FOR VECTORS FOR THE ILS RWY 6R. FROM NOW AT 1000 FT MSL, I TOLD THE FO TO STOP DSCNT. AT 800 FT MSL HE RECOVERED AND STARTED A CLB TO OUR NEWLY ASSIGNED ALT OF 2000 FT AND TURNED TO 300 DEGS FOR THE ASSIGNED VECTOR. HE ONLY STARTED OUR CLB AND TURN AT MY INSISTENCE, AT THIS POINT BEING DISORIENTED AND 'RATTLED.' I HAD HIM KEEP THE PLANE AT 160 KIAS WHILE HE COLLECTED HIMSELF AND SETTLED DOWN. HE RESUMED THE APCH AND LANDED FINE. I SHOULD HAVE SHOWED HIM CAMPBELL LAKE BEACON ON OTHER CHARTS DURING HIS BRIEFING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 428756: I LOST VISUAL WITH THE ARPT AND TOLD THE CAPT I WAS DISORIENTED AS TO MY POS TO THE LOC AS WELL. WE REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE ILS (ADVISED WE LOST THE ARPT) AND WAS GIVEN A CLB AND VECTORS TO COME BACK AROUND FOR THE ILS.

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.