Narrative:

While on a IFR flight plan from msp to owatonna, mn (owa) our aircraft was cleared for a visual approach to the owa airport. This was after both pilots had agreed that they had a positive identify of the airport and the PNF had so informed msp center. The aircraft then entered the pattern and a normal landing was made. After shutdown the crew was informed that they were wanted on the telephone. The call was from msp center informing them that they had just landed at fribault airport. Not owatonna. Basic causes: crew did not take sufficient care in positively identifying the airport before informing center that they had the airport in sight. Contributing factors: similarity of airports. Both have runway 12/30 as primary, both are located north of their respective cities, both are placed immediately to the west of interstate 35. Familiarity with the area which probably led to crew complacency. Allowing familiarity to overdie what a properly set RNAV was telling the crew. What can be done to avoid in future? Avoid complacency. Particularly in low stress sits (good VFR/WX conditions, familiar surroundings, no passenger aboard, etc.). Use all available resources (visual, printed, electronic) to establish position at all times. Supplemental information from acn 271487: when the other pilot and I entered the airplane, I asked him where owa was located, due to his familiarity with the area. He told where it was and said not to worry, he'd point it out. We could have avoided this situation by using the resources available to us we always used in the past. I should have crosschecked the RNAV and the WAC chart with what I saw, instead of blindly following the other pilots direction. Using cockpit resource management skills on part 91 legs is as important as when passenger are aboard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI REPOSITIONING LANDS AT WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A IFR FLT PLAN FROM MSP TO OWATONNA, MN (OWA) OUR ACFT WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO THE OWA ARPT. THIS WAS AFTER BOTH PLTS HAD AGREED THAT THEY HAD A POSITIVE IDENT OF THE ARPT AND THE PNF HAD SO INFORMED MSP CTR. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED THE PATTERN AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. AFTER SHUTDOWN THE CREW WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE WANTED ON THE TELEPHONE. THE CALL WAS FROM MSP CTR INFORMING THEM THAT THEY HAD JUST LANDED AT FRIBAULT ARPT. NOT OWATONNA. BASIC CAUSES: CREW DID NOT TAKE SUFFICIENT CARE IN POSITIVELY IDENTIFYING THE ARPT BEFORE INFORMING CTR THAT THEY HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SIMILARITY OF ARPTS. BOTH HAVE RWY 12/30 AS PRIMARY, BOTH ARE LOCATED N OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CITIES, BOTH ARE PLACED IMMEDIATELY TO THE W OF INTERSTATE 35. FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA WHICH PROBABLY LED TO CREW COMPLACENCY. ALLOWING FAMILIARITY TO OVERDIE WHAT A PROPERLY SET RNAV WAS TELLING THE CREW. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID IN FUTURE? AVOID COMPLACENCY. PARTICULARLY IN LOW STRESS SITS (GOOD VFR/WX CONDITIONS, FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS, NO PAX ABOARD, ETC.). USE ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES (VISUAL, PRINTED, ELECTRONIC) TO ESTABLISH POS AT ALL TIMES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 271487: WHEN THE OTHER PLT AND I ENTERED THE AIRPLANE, I ASKED HIM WHERE OWA WAS LOCATED, DUE TO HIS FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA. HE TOLD WHERE IT WAS AND SAID NOT TO WORRY, HE'D POINT IT OUT. WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS SIT BY USING THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US WE ALWAYS USED IN THE PAST. I SHOULD HAVE XCHKED THE RNAV AND THE WAC CHART WITH WHAT I SAW, INSTEAD OF BLINDLY FOLLOWING THE OTHER PLTS DIRECTION. USING COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT SKILLS ON PART 91 LEGS IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHEN PAX ARE ABOARD.

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.