Narrative:

We were flying into a familiar airport with a runway being lengthened 5000 ft. A large concrete threshold had been poured at the new approach end and was now the most distinct landmark on the new field. As we made our approach the sun was quite high and landmarks very reflective. The sky was even hazier than normal, due to a strong on-shore flow of volcanic smoke. We are normally cleared for the VOR DME 17 approach about the same time we pick up the field. Today, however, we were turned sharply east to a 105 degree heading to intercept the final approach course, 157 degrees inbound. I overshot the facility while searching for the field and turned to a heading of about 170 degrees to correct for the overshoot and the wind. At that time, I picked out what I thought was the new large threshold. While I waited to get positive identify, I didn't add more correction to get back on course as the course is offset to the right of the runway. When I picked up the old threshold itself, it was ahead and slightly right. My landmark was not the new threshold. I then asked for and received a 360 degree turn to the right to get in the proper landing slot. What did I relearn? 1) new construction should always put warning flaps on our planning. And 2) in a very familiar environment, complacency always sits in your jump seat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOT OFF COURSE ON FINAL APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING INTO A FAMILIAR ARPT WITH A RWY BEING LENGTHENED 5000 FT. A LARGE CONCRETE THRESHOLD HAD BEEN POURED AT THE NEW APCH END AND WAS NOW THE MOST DISTINCT LANDMARK ON THE NEW FIELD. AS WE MADE OUR APCH THE SUN WAS QUITE HIGH AND LANDMARKS VERY REFLECTIVE. THE SKY WAS EVEN HAZIER THAN NORMAL, DUE TO A STRONG ON-SHORE FLOW OF VOLCANIC SMOKE. WE ARE NORMALLY CLRED FOR THE VOR DME 17 APCH ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE PICK UP THE FIELD. TODAY, HOWEVER, WE WERE TURNED SHARPLY E TO A 105 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE, 157 DEGS INBOUND. I OVERSHOT THE FACILITY WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE FIELD AND TURNED TO A HDG OF ABOUT 170 DEGS TO CORRECT FOR THE OVERSHOOT AND THE WIND. AT THAT TIME, I PICKED OUT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE NEW LARGE THRESHOLD. WHILE I WAITED TO GET POSITIVE IDENT, I DIDN'T ADD MORE CORRECTION TO GET BACK ON COURSE AS THE COURSE IS OFFSET TO THE R OF THE RWY. WHEN I PICKED UP THE OLD THRESHOLD ITSELF, IT WAS AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY R. MY LANDMARK WAS NOT THE NEW THRESHOLD. I THEN ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A 360 DEG TURN TO THE R TO GET IN THE PROPER LNDG SLOT. WHAT DID I RELEARN? 1) NEW CONSTRUCTION SHOULD ALWAYS PUT WARNING FLAPS ON OUR PLANNING. AND 2) IN A VERY FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT, COMPLACENCY ALWAYS SITS IN YOUR JUMP SEAT.

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.