Air carrier large transport wrong airport approach making a visual approach into sju.

Attributes
ACN	186523
Time
Date	199108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sju
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	186523
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	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

Narrative:

First time to sju for myself and first officer. Landing runway 8 at san juan. Level at 2000 ft MSL confign for approach with clearance for visual approach to 8 with airport insight. Initially cleared to patty (OM for 8). I was using page 11-1 to runway 8 for reference. Each pilot verified having the runway in sight and relayed same in answer to approach. I was visually looking at isla grande airport, started a turn towards it, let down to 1600 from 2000, realized mistake, climbed back to 2000, turned back towards luis munoz marin international, flew the approach and landed without further incident. 3 factors contributed to deviation. 1) first time into san juan. 2) taking over visually too soon with misident of airport. 3) chart 11-1 has a built-in trap -- the box idents the ILS identify and frequency for runway 8 is situated on chart so that it blocks out the 'STAR/circle' identing another airport location. Compare this page with the approach to runway 10. On runway 10 page the 'STAR/circle' with isla grande is clearly visible. The only mark showing is just the STAR north runway 8. Chart maker should definitely move the identify box more to the northwest and make the arrow longer pointing to the course fan, reinstating the 'STAR/circle' and isla grande depiction. It would help in preventing misidentifies of airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT WRONG ARPT APCH MAKING A VISUAL APCH INTO SJU.

Narrative: FIRST TIME TO SJU FOR MYSELF AND FO. LNDG RWY 8 AT SAN JUAN. LEVEL AT 2000 FT MSL CONFIGN FOR APCH WITH CLRNC FOR VISUAL APCH TO 8 WITH ARPT INSIGHT. INITIALLY CLRED TO PATTY (OM FOR 8). I WAS USING PAGE 11-1 TO RWY 8 FOR REF. EACH PLT VERIFIED HAVING THE RWY IN SIGHT AND RELAYED SAME IN ANSWER TO APCH. I WAS VISUALLY LOOKING AT ISLA GRANDE ARPT, STARTED A TURN TOWARDS IT, LET DOWN TO 1600 FROM 2000, REALIZED MISTAKE, CLBED BACK TO 2000, TURNED BACK TOWARDS LUIS MUNOZ MARIN INTL, FLEW THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. 3 FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO DEV. 1) FIRST TIME INTO SAN JUAN. 2) TAKING OVER VISUALLY TOO SOON WITH MISIDENT OF ARPT. 3) CHART 11-1 HAS A BUILT-IN TRAP -- THE BOX IDENTS THE ILS IDENT AND FREQ FOR RWY 8 IS SITUATED ON CHART SO THAT IT BLOCKS OUT THE 'STAR/CIRCLE' IDENTING ANOTHER ARPT LOCATION. COMPARE THIS PAGE WITH THE APCH TO RWY 10. ON RWY 10 PAGE THE 'STAR/CIRCLE' WITH ISLA GRANDE IS CLRLY VISIBLE. THE ONLY MARK SHOWING IS JUST THE STAR N RWY 8. CHART MAKER SHOULD DEFINITELY MOVE THE IDENT BOX MORE TO THE NW AND MAKE THE ARROW LONGER POINTING TO THE COURSE FAN, REINSTATING THE 'STAR/CIRCLE' AND ISLA GRANDE DEPICTION. IT WOULD HELP IN PREVENTING MISIDENTS OF ARPTS.

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.