Air carrier medium large transport wrong airport approach VMC.

Attributes
ACN	138364
Time
Date	199003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sch airport : alb
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : alb
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent 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 : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 96 flight time total : 7711 flight time type : 290
ASRS Report	138364
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent on a flight from buf, the approach controller gave our flight an initial heading for vectors to runway 19 at alb airport. After being given that initial heading, we sighted an airport which we thought to be alb, but was actually schenectady. With the present snow cover and similar runway directions as alb and schenectady airports possess, it is difficult to distinguish these airports apart, even with good visibility conditions. We called alb in sight and were cleared for the visibility 10 at alb. We began maneuvering for the runway and the controller asked if we had alb in sight. We replied affirmatively. We turned and lined up on the approximately 9 mi final again for what we thought was runway 19 at alb. Once again the approach controller asked if we had alb in sight. We responded, 'we believe so.' the controller sated: 'I think you're looking at schenectady,' and gave us a heading for alb. We agreed with his action because we were unable to receive a reliable localizer-G/south indication for runway 19. The controller again asked us to report alb in sight. We called it in sight and landed west/O further incident. There was no other air traffic in the general area during this entire course of events. Our many thanks go to this alert, safety-minded controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WRONG ARPT APCH VMC.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT ON A FLT FROM BUF, THE APCH CTLR GAVE OUR FLT AN INITIAL HDG FOR VECTORS TO RWY 19 AT ALB ARPT. AFTER BEING GIVEN THAT INITIAL HDG, WE SIGHTED AN ARPT WHICH WE THOUGHT TO BE ALB, BUT WAS ACTUALLY SCHENECTADY. WITH THE PRESENT SNOW COVER AND SIMILAR RWY DIRECTIONS AS ALB AND SCHENECTADY ARPTS POSSESS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH THESE ARPTS APART, EVEN WITH GOOD VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. WE CALLED ALB IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS 10 AT ALB. WE BEGAN MANEUVERING FOR THE RWY AND THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD ALB IN SIGHT. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVELY. WE TURNED AND LINED UP ON THE APPROX 9 MI FINAL AGAIN FOR WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS RWY 19 AT ALB. ONCE AGAIN THE APCH CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD ALB IN SIGHT. WE RESPONDED, 'WE BELIEVE SO.' THE CTLR SATED: 'I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT SCHENECTADY,' AND GAVE US A HDG FOR ALB. WE AGREED WITH HIS ACTION BECAUSE WE WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE A RELIABLE LOC-G/S INDICATION FOR RWY 19. THE CTLR AGAIN ASKED US TO RPT ALB IN SIGHT. WE CALLED IT IN SIGHT AND LANDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO OTHER AIR TFC IN THE GENERAL AREA DURING THIS ENTIRE COURSE OF EVENTS. OUR MANY THANKS GO TO THIS ALERT, SAFETY-MINDED CTLR.

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