Narrative:

Third and final leg of day. Leg #2 delayed 2 hours due to thunderstorm which put everything behind; so we arrived after tower closed. ASOS gave jan WX 500 ft broken; 6 br; but a departing flight reported scattered clouds and said a visual approach should be no problem. We told ZME to set us up for the ILS anyway. Clearance was direct jan VOR and cleared ILS runway 16L -- not exactly legal because the VOR is not part of the approach; but we figured with mostly VMC we could make it work. We sighted the airport once during descent; but only briefly due to a cloud layer at lower altitude. About 5 mi east of jan VOR; captain (PF) reported runway in sight. I saw it too; informed ZME; who cleared us for a visual approach. After configuring and finishing checklists; I noted that allen (ja NDB) was straight ahead; but jan VOR was to the right; and told the captain 'I don't think that's it.' simultaneously he noted that the ILS was not giving proper indications. We went around; then sighted the correct runway straight ahead about 6 mi. Rest of arrival was uneventful. Altitude at go around was approximately 1100-1200 ft AGL. Contributing factors: delays; late night; no food; fatigue (day #5 for both pilots); conflicting WX reports; and not staying with instrument arrival. Also; the campbell airport (mbo) is on the approach chart and has similar runway orientation (runway 17/35); but our company has not mentioned the potential confusion by bulletin. We will recommend that. The 4400 ft runway would have made an interesting stop; as well as probably costing us certificate action or worse. Backing up the visual approach with instruments saved our hides -- something I've always believed and has now been confirmed through an intense lesson!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737 ARRIVING JAN AFTER DARK ON VISUAL APCH; NEARLY LANDED AT MBO.

Narrative: THIRD AND FINAL LEG OF DAY. LEG #2 DELAYED 2 HRS DUE TO TSTM WHICH PUT EVERYTHING BEHIND; SO WE ARRIVED AFTER TWR CLOSED. ASOS GAVE JAN WX 500 FT BROKEN; 6 BR; BUT A DEPARTING FLT RPTED SCATTERED CLOUDS AND SAID A VISUAL APCH SHOULD BE NO PROB. WE TOLD ZME TO SET US UP FOR THE ILS ANYWAY. CLRNC WAS DIRECT JAN VOR AND CLRED ILS RWY 16L -- NOT EXACTLY LEGAL BECAUSE THE VOR IS NOT PART OF THE APCH; BUT WE FIGURED WITH MOSTLY VMC WE COULD MAKE IT WORK. WE SIGHTED THE ARPT ONCE DURING DSCNT; BUT ONLY BRIEFLY DUE TO A CLOUD LAYER AT LOWER ALT. ABOUT 5 MI E OF JAN VOR; CAPT (PF) RPTED RWY IN SIGHT. I SAW IT TOO; INFORMED ZME; WHO CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. AFTER CONFIGURING AND FINISHING CHKLISTS; I NOTED THAT ALLEN (JA NDB) WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD; BUT JAN VOR WAS TO THE R; AND TOLD THE CAPT 'I DON'T THINK THAT'S IT.' SIMULTANEOUSLY HE NOTED THAT THE ILS WAS NOT GIVING PROPER INDICATIONS. WE WENT AROUND; THEN SIGHTED THE CORRECT RWY STRAIGHT AHEAD ABOUT 6 MI. REST OF ARR WAS UNEVENTFUL. ALT AT GAR WAS APPROX 1100-1200 FT AGL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DELAYS; LATE NIGHT; NO FOOD; FATIGUE (DAY #5 FOR BOTH PLTS); CONFLICTING WX RPTS; AND NOT STAYING WITH INST ARR. ALSO; THE CAMPBELL ARPT (MBO) IS ON THE APCH CHART AND HAS SIMILAR RWY ORIENTATION (RWY 17/35); BUT OUR COMPANY HAS NOT MENTIONED THE POTENTIAL CONFUSION BY BULLETIN. WE WILL RECOMMEND THAT. THE 4400 FT RWY WOULD HAVE MADE AN INTERESTING STOP; AS WELL AS PROBABLY COSTING US CERTIFICATE ACTION OR WORSE. BACKING UP THE VISUAL APCH WITH INSTS SAVED OUR HIDES -- SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED AND HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED THROUGH AN INTENSE LESSON!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.