Narrative:

We were en route to battle creek; mi (btl) from the southwest; the PF programmed the FMS for a pseudo VOR (visual) approach to runway 5 at btl. During the descent; kalamazoo approach advised airport at 11 O'clock position; descend and maintain 2500 ft and advise when airport is in sight. I saw an airport at my 11 O'clock position and advised ATC; airport in sight and descended from approximately 9000 ft MSL. ATC advised to plan for visual to runway 5. The airport was very close and we increased rate of descent to make an approach to runway 5. The PF configured the aircraft for the landing with flaps to 15 degrees and gear down. He called for flaps full and then descended below the assigned 2500 ft and told me to ask ATC if we were cleared for the approach because we were close (to the airport -- approximately 5 NM to the southwest). I told him last assigned altitude was 2500 ft; to which he responded 'we've been cleared for the visual.' I asked ATC for a lower altitude because we were short final runway 5 (by then within 3 NM from approach end). ATC advised that we were lined up with kalamazoo (azo) runway 5 to climb back to 2500 ft; and right turn to 90 degrees. We executed the immediate climb and turn and returned the aircraft to a climb out confign. After the turn and climb; ATC advised btl at our 12 O'clock position 5 mi. I called the airport in sight and we completed an uneventful landing on runway 5. Contributing factors include original ATC advisory that the airport was at 11 O'clock position when in actuality it was at our 1 - 1:30 O'clock position. ATC's failure to monitor our ground track. Our failure to properly identify the correct airport. Improper descent from assigned altitude. Our failure to trust the flight director indications (they were displaying a right turn to the visual reference point runway 5 btl) and; most importantly; our failure to utilize disciplined CRM. During our debrief; me and the PF discussed how we had both felt that things were not as they should have been but neither of us expressed our thoughts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C525 FLT CREW CONDUCTED A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT. ATC RECOGNIZED THE ERROR; AND VECTORS WERE PROVIDED TO THE DEST ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO BATTLE CREEK; MI (BTL) FROM THE SW; THE PF PROGRAMMED THE FMS FOR A PSEUDO VOR (VISUAL) APCH TO RWY 5 AT BTL. DURING THE DSCNT; KALAMAZOO APCH ADVISED ARPT AT 11 O'CLOCK POS; DSND AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT AND ADVISE WHEN ARPT IS IN SIGHT. I SAW AN ARPT AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS AND ADVISED ATC; ARPT IN SIGHT AND DSNDED FROM APPROX 9000 FT MSL. ATC ADVISED TO PLAN FOR VISUAL TO RWY 5. THE ARPT WAS VERY CLOSE AND WE INCREASED RATE OF DSCNT TO MAKE AN APCH TO RWY 5. THE PF CONFIGURED THE ACFT FOR THE LNDG WITH FLAPS TO 15 DEGS AND GEAR DOWN. HE CALLED FOR FLAPS FULL AND THEN DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED 2500 FT AND TOLD ME TO ASK ATC IF WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH BECAUSE WE WERE CLOSE (TO THE ARPT -- APPROX 5 NM TO THE SW). I TOLD HIM LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 2500 FT; TO WHICH HE RESPONDED 'WE'VE BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' I ASKED ATC FOR A LOWER ALT BECAUSE WE WERE SHORT FINAL RWY 5 (BY THEN WITHIN 3 NM FROM APCH END). ATC ADVISED THAT WE WERE LINED UP WITH KALAMAZOO (AZO) RWY 5 TO CLB BACK TO 2500 FT; AND R TURN TO 90 DEGS. WE EXECUTED THE IMMEDIATE CLB AND TURN AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO A CLBOUT CONFIGN. AFTER THE TURN AND CLB; ATC ADVISED BTL AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS 5 MI. I CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WE COMPLETED AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY 5. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE ORIGINAL ATC ADVISORY THAT THE ARPT WAS AT 11 O'CLOCK POS WHEN IN ACTUALITY IT WAS AT OUR 1 - 1:30 O'CLOCK POS. ATC'S FAILURE TO MONITOR OUR GND TRACK. OUR FAILURE TO PROPERLY IDENT THE CORRECT ARPT. IMPROPER DSCNT FROM ASSIGNED ALT. OUR FAILURE TO TRUST THE FLT DIRECTOR INDICATIONS (THEY WERE DISPLAYING A R TURN TO THE VISUAL REF POINT RWY 5 BTL) AND; MOST IMPORTANTLY; OUR FAILURE TO UTILIZE DISCIPLINED CRM. DURING OUR DEBRIEF; ME AND THE PF DISCUSSED HOW WE HAD BOTH FELT THAT THINGS WERE NOT AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUT NEITHER OF US EXPRESSED OUR THOUGHTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.