Narrative:

Descending on the marlin 4 arrival into fll (approximately 13 DME northeast of fll VOR), the approach controller asked if we had a visual on the airport -- twice. Noting our distance from the VOR and our position to be a dogleg to final (runway 27 in fll), we called the airport visually. We were told cleared for visual and switch to tower frequency. The airport we saw was directly west of our position, so a turn to the west was initiated, the ILS frequency tuned, and tower frequency selected. No DME from the localizer was indicating, however, we did receive a false localizer indication showing us south of the runway centerline. About a 10 mi final from runway, the first officer indicated that we were indeed looking at the wrong airport, and I, too, agreed. Simultaneously, the fll tower called saying 'turn to a heading of 180 degrees if you're landing at fll international.' a turn was made, and the airport was visible about 10 mi away. There were no traffic conflicts and we landed at fll airport uneventfully. Total time duration from accepting visual from approach controller until contact with fll tower was less than 30 seconds. Contributing factors to accepting a visual unknowingly to wrong airport are: 1) 3 airports in very close proximity to fll with east/west runways,. 2) hurriedly accepting a visual approach, after being prompted twice if we had a visual, 3) not having radios tuned and idented prior to accepting a visual for confirmation to correct airport, and 4) fatigue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-300 BECAME DISORIENTED DURING A VISUAL APCH RESULTING IN APCH CTLR ASSISTING THEM IN CORRECTING THEIR HDG FROM THE WRONG ARPT APCH.

Narrative: DSNDING ON THE MARLIN 4 ARR INTO FLL (APPROX 13 DME NE OF FLL VOR), THE APCH CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD A VISUAL ON THE ARPT -- TWICE. NOTING OUR DISTANCE FROM THE VOR AND OUR POS TO BE A DOGLEG TO FINAL (RWY 27 IN FLL), WE CALLED THE ARPT VISUALLY. WE WERE TOLD CLRED FOR VISUAL AND SWITCH TO TWR FREQ. THE ARPT WE SAW WAS DIRECTLY W OF OUR POS, SO A TURN TO THE W WAS INITIATED, THE ILS FREQ TUNED, AND TWR FREQ SELECTED. NO DME FROM THE LOC WAS INDICATING, HOWEVER, WE DID RECEIVE A FALSE LOC INDICATION SHOWING US S OF THE RWY CTRLINE. ABOUT A 10 MI FINAL FROM RWY, THE FO INDICATED THAT WE WERE INDEED LOOKING AT THE WRONG ARPT, AND I, TOO, AGREED. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE FLL TWR CALLED SAYING 'TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS IF YOU'RE LNDG AT FLL INTL.' A TURN WAS MADE, AND THE ARPT WAS VISIBLE ABOUT 10 MI AWAY. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS AND WE LANDED AT FLL ARPT UNEVENTFULLY. TOTAL TIME DURATION FROM ACCEPTING VISUAL FROM APCH CTLR UNTIL CONTACT WITH FLL TWR WAS LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ACCEPTING A VISUAL UNKNOWINGLY TO WRONG ARPT ARE: 1) 3 ARPTS IN VERY CLOSE PROX TO FLL WITH E/W RWYS,. 2) HURRIEDLY ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH, AFTER BEING PROMPTED TWICE IF WE HAD A VISUAL, 3) NOT HAVING RADIOS TUNED AND IDENTED PRIOR TO ACCEPTING A VISUAL FOR CONFIRMATION TO CORRECT ARPT, AND 4) FATIGUE.

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.