Wrong airport approach by air carrier medium large transport.

Attributes
ACN	243191
Time
Date	199306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	243191
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	243180
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This was a cargo flight from iln to bil to geg to boi. On the approach to geg, the WX was middle to high clouds, broken to overcast, ceiling about 7000 ft MSL. We were being vectored to geg for a visual approach to runway 21. We had the outer compass locator and ILS tuned and idented for runway 21. As we were being vectored, we could not identify the runway due to haze and morning sun. As approach control gave us a final vector to intercept the ILS 21, the captain called out visual contact with the runway. I relayed to approach. We were cleared to tower and cleared for the visual. However, the ILS localizer and NDB didn't agree with the runway we were flying to. About this time geg tower called and said we were heading to ska AFB. We then received a clearance for a left 360 degree turn and landed at geg on runway 21 without incident. What we should have done with the haze was intercept the ILS localizer then identify the runway. But I was happy that, by following company procedures, we knew something was wrong and I don't believe we would have landed at ska AFB. But still we were too quick to call visual contact. It had been a longer than usual night and fatigue and the desire to get the flight done almost caused a violation. Supplemental information from acn 243180: I had never flown into geg airport, however my first officer had been there many times. The first officer called it in sight to controller as he also verified it as being runway 21 at geg. We were on about a 5 mi final when I said the localizer and GS were not indicating properly for that runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ARPT APCH BY ACR MLG.

Narrative: THIS WAS A CARGO FLT FROM ILN TO BIL TO GEG TO BOI. ON THE APCH TO GEG, THE WX WAS MIDDLE TO HIGH CLOUDS, BROKEN TO OVCST, CEILING ABOUT 7000 FT MSL. WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO GEG FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21. WE HAD THE OUTER COMPASS LOCATOR AND ILS TUNED AND IDENTED FOR RWY 21. AS WE WERE BEING VECTORED, WE COULD NOT IDENT THE RWY DUE TO HAZE AND MORNING SUN. AS APCH CTL GAVE US A FINAL VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE ILS 21, THE CAPT CALLED OUT VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY. I RELAYED TO APCH. WE WERE CLRED TO TWR AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. HOWEVER, THE ILS LOC AND NDB DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE RWY WE WERE FLYING TO. ABOUT THIS TIME GEG TWR CALLED AND SAID WE WERE HDG TO SKA AFB. WE THEN RECEIVED A CLRNC FOR A L 360 DEG TURN AND LANDED AT GEG ON RWY 21 WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE WITH THE HAZE WAS INTERCEPT THE ILS LOC THEN IDENT THE RWY. BUT I WAS HAPPY THAT, BY FOLLOWING COMPANY PROCS, WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE LANDED AT SKA AFB. BUT STILL WE WERE TOO QUICK TO CALL VISUAL CONTACT. IT HAD BEEN A LONGER THAN USUAL NIGHT AND FATIGUE AND THE DESIRE TO GET THE FLT DONE ALMOST CAUSED A VIOLATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 243180: I HAD NEVER FLOWN INTO GEG ARPT, HOWEVER MY FO HAD BEEN THERE MANY TIMES. THE FO CALLED IT IN SIGHT TO CTLR AS HE ALSO VERIFIED IT AS BEING RWY 21 AT GEG. WE WERE ON ABOUT A 5 MI FINAL WHEN I SAID THE LOC AND GS WERE NOT INDICATING PROPERLY FOR THAT 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.