Narrative:

Landing at erie, PA. Heading toward the field on A020 degree heading. Landing runway 24. Told them we had the field. We were cleared for a visual for 24. At that time we were so close to the field that when I turned to a 060 degree heading I was on the extended centerline for 24. We were still 2500 ft AGL and 230 KTS descending. I went out far enough because I knew I would have to make a maneuver to get lined up with the runway. I made a left turn and configured the aircraft for landing while still slowing and descending. I turned 240 degrees to 200 degrees. Tower asked if we had the runway. I did not but the first officer had it in sight and told me to level off and continue on the current heading. I was about to start a go around. We leveled off at 500 AGL and flew the last 2 or 3 mi and landed. This approach should not have been different. I have done them before and I have taught students on how to make them easy. I guess I had a brain cramp. I knew where I was until I rolled out on final then couldn't find the field. The mistake I made was in not leveling off at 1000 AGL and then find the runway and land. A 270 degree turn followed by a 90 degree right turn would have helped but wasn't necessary as I had plenty of time to realign the aircraft. Crew coordination really helped as the first officer told me he had the field and told me to level off and fly that heading. I don't like flying around at 500 ft looking for a runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT BECOMES DISORIENTED ON VISUAL APCH, LOW ALT.

Narrative: LNDG AT ERIE, PA. HDG TOWARD THE FIELD ON A020 DEG HDG. LNDG RWY 24. TOLD THEM WE HAD THE FIELD. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL FOR 24. AT THAT TIME WE WERE SO CLOSE TO THE FIELD THAT WHEN I TURNED TO A 060 DEG HDG I WAS ON THE EXTENDED CTRLINE FOR 24. WE WERE STILL 2500 FT AGL AND 230 KTS DSNDING. I WENT OUT FAR ENOUGH BECAUSE I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A MANEUVER TO GET LINED UP WITH THE RWY. I MADE A L TURN AND CONFIGURED THE ACFT FOR LNDG WHILE STILL SLOWING AND DSNDING. I TURNED 240 DEGS TO 200 DEGS. TWR ASKED IF WE HAD THE RWY. I DID NOT BUT THE FO HAD IT IN SIGHT AND TOLD ME TO LEVEL OFF AND CONTINUE ON THE CURRENT HDG. I WAS ABOUT TO START A GAR. WE LEVELED OFF AT 500 AGL AND FLEW THE LAST 2 OR 3 MI AND LANDED. THIS APCH SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. I HAVE DONE THEM BEFORE AND I HAVE TAUGHT STUDENTS ON HOW TO MAKE THEM EASY. I GUESS I HAD A BRAIN CRAMP. I KNEW WHERE I WAS UNTIL I ROLLED OUT ON FINAL THEN COULDN'T FIND THE FIELD. THE MISTAKE I MADE WAS IN NOT LEVELING OFF AT 1000 AGL AND THEN FIND THE RWY AND LAND. A 270 DEG TURN FOLLOWED BY A 90 DEG R TURN WOULD HAVE HELPED BUT WASN'T NECESSARY AS I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO REALIGN THE ACFT. CREW COORD REALLY HELPED AS THE FO TOLD ME HE HAD THE FIELD AND TOLD ME TO LEVEL OFF AND FLY THAT HDG. I DON'T LIKE FLYING AROUND AT 500 FT LOOKING FOR A RWY.

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.