A commuter flight crew began a visual approach to the wrong airport. Wrong airport approach.

Attributes
ACN	321840
Time
Date	199511
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gsp
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gsp tower : ful
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7740 flight time type : 4320
ASRS Report	321840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Descending to 4000 ft we were advised that the airport was at 12 O'clock, 10 mi. We mistook the greenville downtown airport for greer airport when we called the field in sight. The first officer (PF) turned toward the downtown airport upon receipt of the visual approach clearance. I noted the localizer was not lining up as it should, and the relative bearing to greer NDB was incorrect. I advised the controller of our error and now seeing the correct airport, verified this with the controller also. The controller gave us a vector heading 090 degrees, told us to overfly the airport and join the left downwind. We complied, and landed without further incident. Contributing to this event was the crew pairing. Although I am an experienced captain, I normally do not fly to this destination. I was temporarily assigned to another crew base and flying rtes with which I am unfamiliar. The first officer had just recently completed initial training and had less than 75 hours in the aircraft. Neither of us had ever operated at this airport (gsp).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMUTER FLC BEGAN A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT. WRONG ARPT APCH.

Narrative: DSNDING TO 4000 FT WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE ARPT WAS AT 12 O'CLOCK, 10 MI. WE MISTOOK THE GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN ARPT FOR GREER ARPT WHEN WE CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE FO (PF) TURNED TOWARD THE DOWNTOWN ARPT UPON RECEIPT OF THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC. I NOTED THE LOC WAS NOT LINING UP AS IT SHOULD, AND THE RELATIVE BEARING TO GREER NDB WAS INCORRECT. I ADVISED THE CTLR OF OUR ERROR AND NOW SEEING THE CORRECT ARPT, VERIFIED THIS WITH THE CTLR ALSO. THE CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR HDG 090 DEGS, TOLD US TO OVERFLY THE ARPT AND JOIN THE L DOWNWIND. WE COMPLIED, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT WAS THE CREW PAIRING. ALTHOUGH I AM AN EXPERIENCED CAPT, I NORMALLY DO NOT FLY TO THIS DEST. I WAS TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER CREW BASE AND FLYING RTES WITH WHICH I AM UNFAMILIAR. THE FO HAD JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED INITIAL TRAINING AND HAD LESS THAN 75 HRS IN THE ACFT. NEITHER OF US HAD EVER OPERATED AT THIS ARPT (GSP).

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.