Narrative:

I was the captain on mul charter flight from prestwick scotland to forbes air base at topeka, ks. We departed pik at HA13Z on 10/mon/92 and landed at foe at HA34Z. The last 400 plus mi of our flight we were cleared INS direct to forbes. The descent was under control of ZKC. The WX was reported as clear with temperatures 49 degree/33, wind 170/15 however, horizontal visibility was not available until below 5000 ft (5000 ft overcast). Our clearance was to 3000 ft. The second time center asked us if we had the airport, to copilot responded by saying 'we have an airport at (approximately) 11 O'clock. Center then cleared us for a visual approach. I did not think this was the correct airport. The copilot and so thought it was the correct airport. I proceeded toward this airport. At this time the workload was heavy with landing preparations as well as trying to determine if this was the correct airport. Due to center frequency congestion, we were unable to obtain any help from ZKC. Our primary resource was a faxed copy of the forbes airport depiction which was very similar to billard municipal airport. As we got closer and on an extended centerline, it became obvious that this airport was much smaller and a go around was commenced. At this time, center switched us to forbes tower who immediately advised us of the wrong airport. I climbed to 3000 ft, made a right turn directly into a base leg at forbes and made an uneventful landing. Contributing factors: no help from ZKC (no radar vector or radial and distance to forbes). No usable navaids at the airport (ADF 4.5 NM southeast -- topeka VOR 11.5 NM northeast) poorly faxed copies of company supplied charts (1 copy of airport depiction, VOR DME-21, VOR DME-3, NDB-31. No kansas city area chart). Probably some degree of crew fatigue after 8 1/2 hour transatlantic flight and 11TH day of our trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WDB MIL CHARTER MADE AN APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON MUL CHARTER FLT FROM PRESTWICK SCOTLAND TO FORBES AIR BASE AT TOPEKA, KS. WE DEPARTED PIK AT HA13Z ON 10/MON/92 AND LANDED AT FOE AT HA34Z. THE LAST 400 PLUS MI OF OUR FLT WE WERE CLRED INS DIRECT TO FORBES. THE DSCNT WAS UNDER CTL OF ZKC. THE WX WAS RPTED AS CLR WITH TEMPS 49 DEG/33, WIND 170/15 HOWEVER, HORIZ VISIBILITY WAS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL BELOW 5000 FT (5000 FT OVCST). OUR CLRNC WAS TO 3000 FT. THE SECOND TIME CTR ASKED US IF WE HAD THE ARPT, TO COPLT RESPONDED BY SAYING 'WE HAVE AN ARPT AT (APPROX) 11 O'CLOCK. CTR THEN CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. I DID NOT THINK THIS WAS THE CORRECT ARPT. THE COPLT AND SO THOUGHT IT WAS THE CORRECT ARPT. I PROCEEDED TOWARD THIS ARPT. AT THIS TIME THE WORKLOAD WAS HVY WITH LNDG PREPARATIONS AS WELL AS TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS THE CORRECT ARPT. DUE TO CTR FREQ CONGESTION, WE WERE UNABLE TO OBTAIN ANY HELP FROM ZKC. OUR PRIMARY RESOURCE WAS A FAXED COPY OF THE FORBES ARPT DEPICTION WHICH WAS VERY SIMILAR TO BILLARD MUNICIPAL ARPT. AS WE GOT CLOSER AND ON AN EXTENDED CTRLINE, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THIS ARPT WAS MUCH SMALLER AND A GAR WAS COMMENCED. AT THIS TIME, CTR SWITCHED US TO FORBES TWR WHO IMMEDIATELY ADVISED US OF THE WRONG ARPT. I CLBED TO 3000 FT, MADE A R TURN DIRECTLY INTO A BASE LEG AT FORBES AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NO HELP FROM ZKC (NO RADAR VECTOR OR RADIAL AND DISTANCE TO FORBES). NO USABLE NAVAIDS AT THE ARPT (ADF 4.5 NM SE -- TOPEKA VOR 11.5 NM NE) POORLY FAXED COPIES OF COMPANY SUPPLIED CHARTS (1 COPY OF ARPT DEPICTION, VOR DME-21, VOR DME-3, NDB-31. NO KANSAS CITY AREA CHART). PROBABLY SOME DEG OF CREW FATIGUE AFTER 8 1/2 HR TRANSATLANTIC FLT AND 11TH DAY OF OUR TRIP.

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.