Narrative:

We were descending in night VMC, with cae VOR tuned idented OM for runway 112 kcae tuned. As we descended from 11000 MSL to 4000 MSL, about 25 mi northeast of cae heading southwest, columbia approach control offered us a visual approach to kcae runway 11. We initially refused to cancel because we were unfamiliar with the geography, although we did have an airport beacon in sight. At 4000 ft, we did pick up threshold lights, and runway lights, in addition to the beacon. We tuned in the ILS (110.3) for kcae, and requested another vector and descent from approach. Approach control also turned up the runway lights (HIRL, cl, alsf-ii, TDZ). We turned to 290 degree and descended to 2100 ft, and , for the first time in my career as a captain, I accepted a night visual approach to a strange field before I was conveniently aligned for landing. We began and continued our confign to gear down, then began a descending left base turn. We did not have the runway lights as previously described in sight. As we rolled out on base, approach control asked 'you are not turning towards downtown columbia airport, are you?' we made an unintelligible remark, at which time I looked to my right and saw kcae. We were told we could maintain 1700 MSL and from present position continued a visual to kcae runway 11. I had leveled at approximately 1200 MSL nd had first officer ask if we needed to climb back up to 1700. We were told we were on a visual, and a climb was, basically, up to our discretion. We flew a left downwind, left base and final to an uneventful landing at columbia metropolitan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON APCH TO CAE FLC OFFERED VISUAL. ALIGNED VISUALLY WITH COLUMBIA DOWNTOWN ARPT, ADVISED BY APCH CTLR, SPOTTED CAE AND PROCEEDED VISUAL FOR LNDG.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING IN NIGHT VMC, WITH CAE VOR TUNED IDENTED OM FOR RWY 112 KCAE TUNED. AS WE DSNDED FROM 11000 MSL TO 4000 MSL, ABOUT 25 MI NE OF CAE HDG SW, COLUMBIA APCH CTL OFFERED US A VISUAL APCH TO KCAE RWY 11. WE INITIALLY REFUSED TO CANCEL BECAUSE WE WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE GEOGRAPHY, ALTHOUGH WE DID HAVE AN ARPT BEACON IN SIGHT. AT 4000 FT, WE DID PICK UP THRESHOLD LIGHTS, AND RWY LIGHTS, IN ADDITION TO THE BEACON. WE TUNED IN THE ILS (110.3) FOR KCAE, AND REQUESTED ANOTHER VECTOR AND DSCNT FROM APCH. APCH CTL ALSO TURNED UP THE RWY LIGHTS (HIRL, CL, ALSF-II, TDZ). WE TURNED TO 290 DEG AND DSNDED TO 2100 FT, AND , FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY CAREER AS A CAPT, I ACCEPTED A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO A STRANGE FIELD BEFORE I WAS CONVENIENTLY ALIGNED FOR LNDG. WE BEGAN AND CONTINUED OUR CONFIGN TO GEAR DOWN, THEN BEGAN A DSNDING L BASE TURN. WE DID NOT HAVE THE RWY LIGHTS AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED IN SIGHT. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON BASE, APCH CTL ASKED 'YOU ARE NOT TURNING TOWARDS DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA ARPT, ARE YOU?' WE MADE AN UNINTELLIGIBLE REMARK, AT WHICH TIME I LOOKED TO MY R AND SAW KCAE. WE WERE TOLD WE COULD MAINTAIN 1700 MSL AND FROM PRESENT POS CONTINUED A VISUAL TO KCAE RWY 11. I HAD LEVELED AT APPROX 1200 MSL ND HAD FO ASK IF WE NEEDED TO CLB BACK UP TO 1700. WE WERE TOLD WE WERE ON A VISUAL, AND A CLB WAS, BASICALLY, UP TO OUR DISCRETION. WE FLEW A L DOWNWIND, L BASE AND FINAL TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT COLUMBIA METRO.

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.