Small aircraft on IFR flight plan cleared for visual approach lines up with runway at wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	126257
Time
Date	198910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nuq airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 96 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	126257
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

IFR flight from coa (columbia) to san jose. Tracy intersection on IMC, 127.0 bay approach radar vectors ILS 12R sjc. Cleared to 3000'. Asked by bay if airport in sight. Not in sight. Cleared to 2000'. Asked if airport in sight. We broke out and had green and white beacon at 11 O'clock. Asked bay if that was san jose. He responded affirmative and cleared us for visual approach and to contact sjc tower. I had transitioned completely to visual conditions, had reasonable visibility but had lost beacon and had never seen runway. I continued my heading and saw 2 runways which was moffett field. At this time san jose tower asked if we had san jose in sight and said we were lining up to moffett. We requested vectors to sjc and were told to climb 1600' heading 090. We landed without further incident. The situation could have been avoided by bay approach not being so eager to give a visual approach with uncertainty as to where the runway was by the pilot, but I should not have transitioned completely to visual conditions ignoring localizer and VOR/DME indications. All I had to do is center VOR needle and follow it direct to san jose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN CLEARED FOR VISUAL APCH LINES UP WITH RWY AT WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: IFR FLT FROM COA (COLUMBIA) TO SAN JOSE. TRACY INTXN ON IMC, 127.0 BAY APCH RADAR VECTORS ILS 12R SJC. CLRED TO 3000'. ASKED BY BAY IF ARPT IN SIGHT. NOT IN SIGHT. CLRED TO 2000'. ASKED IF ARPT IN SIGHT. WE BROKE OUT AND HAD GREEN AND WHITE BEACON AT 11 O'CLOCK. ASKED BAY IF THAT WAS SAN JOSE. HE RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE AND CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH AND TO CONTACT SJC TWR. I HAD TRANSITIONED COMPLETELY TO VISUAL CONDITIONS, HAD REASONABLE VISIBILITY BUT HAD LOST BEACON AND HAD NEVER SEEN RWY. I CONTINUED MY HDG AND SAW 2 RWYS WHICH WAS MOFFETT FIELD. AT THIS TIME SAN JOSE TWR ASKED IF WE HAD SAN JOSE IN SIGHT AND SAID WE WERE LINING UP TO MOFFETT. WE REQUESTED VECTORS TO SJC AND WERE TOLD TO CLIMB 1600' HDG 090. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY BAY APCH NOT BEING SO EAGER TO GIVE A VISUAL APCH WITH UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHERE THE RWY WAS BY THE PLT, BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TRANSITIONED COMPLETELY TO VISUAL CONDITIONS IGNORING LOC AND VOR/DME INDICATIONS. ALL I HAD TO DO IS CENTER VOR NEEDLE AND FOLLOW IT DIRECT TO SAN JOSE.

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.