Cpr aircraft on localizer back course approach sights dn lines up with wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	229276
Time
Date	199212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bfi
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tower : bfi
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4280 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	229276
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Sea approach had vectored us to intercept the localizer back course runway 31 at bfi, giving us a heading that lined us up perfectly with the runway at renton, wa. As we descended through the cloud bases, renton, wa. As we descended through the cloud bases, renton came into sight and I stated that I thought I had the airport. The captain continued to fly the vector, and I monitored the outside. It became apparent that we were too high for the runway, so the captain began a steep descent, flew through the bfi localizer, and busted the altitude minimums for that segment of the approach. About the time that we both decided things were definitely wrong, bfi tower called us to alert us to the fact that we were headed for the wrong airport. We did a 270 degree turn, re-established on the bfi localizer (which we had both missed during our attempt to make renton) and landed without incident -- and with great embarrassment. It was a þsucker-punch' event. I have been to bfi many times and am familiar with the airport. I should have never called the airport in sight without verification. The captain should not have gone for the runway without localizer verification. I should have backed him up better by not focusing so much on the outside environment as to forget my duties inside the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR ACFT ON LOC BC APCH SIGHTS DN LINES UP WITH WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: SEA APCH HAD VECTORED US TO INTERCEPT THE LOC BC RWY 31 AT BFI, GIVING US A HDG THAT LINED US UP PERFECTLY WITH THE RWY AT RENTON, WA. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH THE CLOUD BASES, RENTON, WA. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH THE CLOUD BASES, RENTON CAME INTO SIGHT AND I STATED THAT I THOUGHT I HAD THE ARPT. THE CAPT CONTINUED TO FLY THE VECTOR, AND I MONITORED THE OUTSIDE. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE WERE TOO HIGH FOR THE RWY, SO THE CAPT BEGAN A STEEP DSCNT, FLEW THROUGH THE BFI LOC, AND BUSTED THE ALT MINIMUMS FOR THAT SEGMENT OF THE APCH. ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE BOTH DECIDED THINGS WERE DEFINITELY WRONG, BFI TWR CALLED US TO ALERT US TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE HEADED FOR THE WRONG ARPT. WE DID A 270 DEG TURN, RE-ESTABLISHED ON THE BFI LOC (WHICH WE HAD BOTH MISSED DURING OUR ATTEMPT TO MAKE RENTON) AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT -- AND WITH GREAT EMBARRASSMENT. IT WAS A þSUCKER-PUNCH' EVENT. I HAVE BEEN TO BFI MANY TIMES AND AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. I SHOULD HAVE NEVER CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT WITHOUT VERIFICATION. THE CAPT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE FOR THE RWY WITHOUT LOC VERIFICATION. I SHOULD HAVE BACKED HIM UP BETTER BY NOT FOCUSING SO MUCH ON THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT AS TO FORGET MY DUTIES INSIDE THE COCKPIT.

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.