Small aircraft starts approach to wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	122929
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : maf airport : eo2
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3100 msl bound upper : 3100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : maf
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 64 flight time total : 2900 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	122929
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Cleared for VOR-a approach to E02. Had set 1 NAVAID to imaf to identify ector intersection, HSI set to 011 for alignment with runway 11 at E02. Malfunctioning stormscope caused distraction on approach to E02. At ector intersection saw localizer needle center and noticed runway 10 at maf off left wing. Distraction resulting from equipment malfunction interrupted thought process and I initiated approach to maf in lieu of E02. Same heading applied to both runways. Switched over to E02 unicom, but about 3 mi out recontacted approach and initiated climb out for E02. As cfii, I know that distraction can initiate serious problems. Similar runway alignment at E02 and maf also aided delay in recognition of problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA STARTS APCH TO WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: CLRED FOR VOR-A APCH TO E02. HAD SET 1 NAVAID TO IMAF TO IDENT ECTOR INTXN, HSI SET TO 011 FOR ALIGNMENT WITH RWY 11 AT E02. MALFUNCTIONING STORMSCOPE CAUSED DISTR ON APCH TO E02. AT ECTOR INTXN SAW LOC NEEDLE CENTER AND NOTICED RWY 10 AT MAF OFF LEFT WING. DISTR RESULTING FROM EQUIP MALFUNCTION INTERRUPTED THOUGHT PROCESS AND I INITIATED APCH TO MAF IN LIEU OF E02. SAME HDG APPLIED TO BOTH RWYS. SWITCHED OVER TO E02 UNICOM, BUT ABOUT 3 MI OUT RECONTACTED APCH AND INITIATED CLBOUT FOR E02. AS CFII, I KNOW THAT DISTR CAN INITIATE SERIOUS PROBS. SIMILAR RWY ALIGNMENT AT E02 AND MAF ALSO AIDED DELAY IN RECOGNITION OF PROB.

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.