Narrative:

Arrival to tys was bumpy with a broken layer at approximately 7000 ft MSL. Visibility was approximately 8 mi with haze. Approach controller was operating multiple frequencys and was very slow to respond to our inquiries. We were told to 'expect a visual approach to runway 23L' as broadcast on the ATIS. We did not receive any radar vectors, rather a couple of advisories after repeated requests. Approach did call runway at 11 O'clock position and at 9 mi. We requested approach control to 'turn up the lights for runway 23L.' after a second request and another 15 seconds we observed a single runway at about 11 O'clock position at what appeared to be about 8 or 9 mi, which was in the range of what approach control had advised. We called 'the runway in sight' (later we discovered it was not runway 23L at tys) to which we were cleared for the approach and to land. We inquired about the lighting to runway 23L at least 2 or 3 times (crew was beginning to feel 'awkward about the situation') and did not receive a reply. Aircraft appeared to be about 1 or 2 dots to the left of the localizer and high on the VASI. As the checklist was in the process of completion, we received the 'too low terrain message' to which an immediate climb straight ahead was initiated. Again we called approach control, their reply was 'no that's not it, airport 11 O'clock position, and 6 mi.' crew spotted the tys airport unequivocally. Approach and landing was normal and without further incident. Also, when the climb was initiated in response to the terrain message and subsequent altitude advisory by approach was 'climb to 7500 ft MSL,' crew was already climbing through 3000 ft MSL. Remarks from controller about distance are not 100% certain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW BEGAN A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT, AT NIGHT WITH RESTR VISIBILITY.

Narrative: ARR TO TYS WAS BUMPY WITH A BROKEN LAYER AT APPROX 7000 FT MSL. VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 8 MI WITH HAZE. APCH CTLR WAS OPERATING MULTIPLE FREQS AND WAS VERY SLOW TO RESPOND TO OUR INQUIRIES. WE WERE TOLD TO 'EXPECT A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 23L' AS BROADCAST ON THE ATIS. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RADAR VECTORS, RATHER A COUPLE OF ADVISORIES AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS. APCH DID CALL RWY AT 11 O'CLOCK POS AND AT 9 MI. WE REQUESTED APCH CTL TO 'TURN UP THE LIGHTS FOR RWY 23L.' AFTER A SECOND REQUEST AND ANOTHER 15 SECONDS WE OBSERVED A SINGLE RWY AT ABOUT 11 O'CLOCK POS AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 8 OR 9 MI, WHICH WAS IN THE RANGE OF WHAT APCH CTL HAD ADVISED. WE CALLED 'THE RWY IN SIGHT' (LATER WE DISCOVERED IT WAS NOT RWY 23L AT TYS) TO WHICH WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND TO LAND. WE INQUIRED ABOUT THE LIGHTING TO RWY 23L AT LEAST 2 OR 3 TIMES (CREW WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL 'AWKWARD ABOUT THE SIT') AND DID NOT RECEIVE A REPLY. ACFT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 1 OR 2 DOTS TO THE L OF THE LOC AND HIGH ON THE VASI. AS THE CHKLIST WAS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETION, WE RECEIVED THE 'TOO LOW TERRAIN MESSAGE' TO WHICH AN IMMEDIATE CLB STRAIGHT AHEAD WAS INITIATED. AGAIN WE CALLED APCH CTL, THEIR REPLY WAS 'NO THAT'S NOT IT, ARPT 11 O'CLOCK POS, AND 6 MI.' CREW SPOTTED THE TYS ARPT UNEQUIVOCALLY. APCH AND LNDG WAS NORMAL AND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ALSO, WHEN THE CLB WAS INITIATED IN RESPONSE TO THE TERRAIN MESSAGE AND SUBSEQUENT ALT ADVISORY BY APCH WAS 'CLB TO 7500 FT MSL,' CREW WAS ALREADY CLBING THROUGH 3000 FT MSL. REMARKS FROM CTLR ABOUT DISTANCE ARE NOT 100% CERTAIN.

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.