Narrative:

On descent to the redmond, or, airport, passing about 5000' MSL and just breaking out of clouds, center inquired if we had the airport. I looked to where I expected it to be and replied in the affirmative as I had the airport visually. Center then cleared us for the visibility approach and advised us to contact redmond radio. We reported our position as 5 mi south for a left downwind for 22. I maneuvered the aircraft in a shallow left turn for 22. Radio reported a commuter on 2 mi final to 28, which we were unable to visually acquire even though we were now within about 3 mi of the runway end. Shortly the commuter reported on the ground and clear of all runways. On what I considered a left base to 22 turning a 2 mi final, I recall a sense of frustration as my VOR and ADF were not giving me the anticipated bearings. At a 1-2 mi final and 1000' AGL it became apparent to me that this was not runway 22 and in fact not the redmond airport. I executed a missed approach to 3000' MSL, re-oriented myself with the VOR/DME and ADF, proceeded to the redmond airport and made a successful visibility landing on runway 22. I had been maneuvering to the bend airport, approximately 9 mi south of my intended destination. All of this occurred in VMC. Looking back I must say I failed to xchk my suspected position with good navigation aids I had selected. Secondly, I did have an airport but failed to positively identify it as my intended destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISIDENTIFIED ARPT AND MADE APCH TO WRONG ARPT. ERROR DISCOVERED AND GO AROUND EXECUTED.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO THE REDMOND, OR, ARPT, PASSING ABOUT 5000' MSL AND JUST BREAKING OUT OF CLOUDS, CENTER INQUIRED IF WE HAD THE ARPT. I LOOKED TO WHERE I EXPECTED IT TO BE AND REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AS I HAD THE ARPT VISUALLY. CENTER THEN CLRED US FOR THE VIS APCH AND ADVISED US TO CONTACT REDMOND RADIO. WE RPTED OUR POS AS 5 MI S FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 22. I MANEUVERED THE ACFT IN A SHALLOW LEFT TURN FOR 22. RADIO RPTED A COMMUTER ON 2 MI FINAL TO 28, WHICH WE WERE UNABLE TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOW WITHIN ABOUT 3 MI OF THE RWY END. SHORTLY THE COMMUTER RPTED ON THE GND AND CLR OF ALL RWYS. ON WHAT I CONSIDERED A LEFT BASE TO 22 TURNING A 2 MI FINAL, I RECALL A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION AS MY VOR AND ADF WERE NOT GIVING ME THE ANTICIPATED BEARINGS. AT A 1-2 MI FINAL AND 1000' AGL IT BECAME APPARENT TO ME THAT THIS WAS NOT RWY 22 AND IN FACT NOT THE REDMOND ARPT. I EXECUTED A MISSED APCH TO 3000' MSL, RE-ORIENTED MYSELF WITH THE VOR/DME AND ADF, PROCEEDED TO THE REDMOND ARPT AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL VIS LNDG ON RWY 22. I HAD BEEN MANEUVERING TO THE BEND ARPT, APPROX 9 MI S OF MY INTENDED DEST. ALL OF THIS OCCURRED IN VMC. LOOKING BACK I MUST SAY I FAILED TO XCHK MY SUSPECTED POS WITH GOOD NAV AIDS I HAD SELECTED. SECONDLY, I DID HAVE AN ARPT BUT FAILED TO POSITIVELY IDENT IT AS MY INTENDED DEST.

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