Commuter light transport accepted a visual approach, then headed for the wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	108272
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ckb
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	108272
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 3200
ASRS Report	108376
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being vectored while we were in the clear. The flying time was only 10-15 mins, so I was pretty busy with the PNF duties. We were vectored on a longer than normal base leg. The controller called the airport at 10 O'clock. We looked and saw an airport and headed for it. I still had my hands full at that time trying to get the checklist completed. I looked up and saw that somehow this was not the right airport. The localizer was showing us right of course and the G/south was nowhere close to being intercepting. I yelled out, 'this is not the right airport, go around.' we did and in front of us about 15 mi ahead was the correct airport. There was another small airport with similar runway headings, and well lit, within a very close vicinity of each other. If we had not been so tired and there was pilot controled lighting at the small airport we might not have mistaken the well lit airport for our destination. Also, if we had been informed that we were headed for the wrong airport, this could also have been avoided. We all make mistakes, controllers included. I have caught some mistakes made by controllers as well, but I brought it to their attention politely, west/O trying to have them violated. The skies would be much safer if we all worked together by keeping watchful eyes on one another and communicating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT ACCEPTED A VISUAL APCH, THEN HEADED FOR THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED WHILE WE WERE IN THE CLR. THE FLYING TIME WAS ONLY 10-15 MINS, SO I WAS PRETTY BUSY WITH THE PNF DUTIES. WE WERE VECTORED ON A LONGER THAN NORMAL BASE LEG. THE CTLR CALLED THE ARPT AT 10 O'CLOCK. WE LOOKED AND SAW AN ARPT AND HEADED FOR IT. I STILL HAD MY HANDS FULL AT THAT TIME TRYING TO GET THE CHKLIST COMPLETED. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THAT SOMEHOW THIS WAS NOT THE RIGHT ARPT. THE LOC WAS SHOWING US RIGHT OF COURSE AND THE G/S WAS NOWHERE CLOSE TO BEING INTERCEPTING. I YELLED OUT, 'THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT ARPT, GO AROUND.' WE DID AND IN FRONT OF US ABOUT 15 MI AHEAD WAS THE CORRECT ARPT. THERE WAS ANOTHER SMALL ARPT WITH SIMILAR RWY HDGS, AND WELL LIT, WITHIN A VERY CLOSE VICINITY OF EACH OTHER. IF WE HAD NOT BEEN SO TIRED AND THERE WAS PLT CTLED LIGHTING AT THE SMALL ARPT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE MISTAKEN THE WELL LIT ARPT FOR OUR DEST. ALSO, IF WE HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT WE WERE HEADED FOR THE WRONG ARPT, THIS COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES, CTLRS INCLUDED. I HAVE CAUGHT SOME MISTAKES MADE BY CTLRS AS WELL, BUT I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTN POLITELY, W/O TRYING TO HAVE THEM VIOLATED. THE SKIES WOULD BE MUCH SAFER IF WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER BY KEEPING WATCHFUL EYES ON ONE ANOTHER AND COMMUNICATING.

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.