Air carrier large transport flight crew makes approach to wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	204552
Time
Date	199203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	204552
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	204550
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we were approaching sdf approach asked if we had the airport in sight. We sighted what we believed to be sdf at approximately 2 O'clock and approximately 10-12 mi. The first officer asked the field in sight and we were cleared for a visual approach. The first officer had tuned and idented the ILS frequency for runway 29 at sdf. We set up on a right base leg for the sighted runway. As we turned final approach the localizer hadn't moved from full scale deflection. We immediately realized there was a problem. The captain leveled off at 2000 ft MSL. At that time the controller called and asked us if we had the runway in sight. He then instructed that we were north of sdf and to climb to 2500 ft heading 270. The 270 degree vector set us up on a right base for runway 29 at sdf. As the localizer moved off of full scale deflection we turned inbound and executed a normal landing. The misidented field was bowman airport and is shown on the ILS runway 29 approach plate as a VOR on an airport. This can be a little misleading during night operations. Good cockpit resource management and the properly tuned and idented localizer frequency caused us to discover our mistake early. Once on the ground the captain called the chief tower controller to thank him for the good ATC work. He assured us no problem was caused by our error and he appreciated our call.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FLC MAKES APCH TO WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: AS WE WERE APCHING SDF APCH ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE SIGHTED WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE SDF AT APPROX 2 O'CLOCK AND APPROX 10-12 MI. THE FO ASKED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE FO HAD TUNED AND IDENTED THE ILS FREQ FOR RWY 29 AT SDF. WE SET UP ON A R BASE LEG FOR THE SIGHTED RWY. AS WE TURNED FINAL APCH THE LOC HADN'T MOVED FROM FULL SCALE DEFLECTION. WE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE CAPT LEVELED OFF AT 2000 FT MSL. AT THAT TIME THE CTLR CALLED AND ASKED US IF WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. HE THEN INSTRUCTED THAT WE WERE N OF SDF AND TO CLB TO 2500 FT HDG 270. THE 270 DEG VECTOR SET US UP ON A R BASE FOR RWY 29 AT SDF. AS THE LOC MOVED OFF OF FULL SCALE DEFLECTION WE TURNED INBOUND AND EXECUTED A NORMAL LNDG. THE MISIDENTED FIELD WAS BOWMAN ARPT AND IS SHOWN ON THE ILS RWY 29 APCH PLATE AS A VOR ON AN ARPT. THIS CAN BE A LITTLE MISLEADING DURING NIGHT OPS. GOOD COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT AND THE PROPERLY TUNED AND IDENTED LOC FREQ CAUSED US TO DISCOVER OUR MISTAKE EARLY. ONCE ON THE GND THE CAPT CALLED THE CHIEF TWR CTLR TO THANK HIM FOR THE GOOD ATC WORK. HE ASSURED US NO PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY OUR ERROR AND HE APPRECIATED OUR CALL.

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.