Narrative:

WX is VMC at svn, first flight together with this first officer. I thought I saw airport and told first officer that I had the airport. Approach had us at 3000 ft and 260 degree heading and reported towers at 12 O'clock at 2000 ft. First officer told approach we had the airport, I did not tell the first officer to report this. However, since I thought I had seen the airport, I didn't say anything about the call. Approach cleared us for a right downwind, the airport was off the right side of the aircraft, and call tower. Navaids were already set up for ILS runway 9R sbn, tower cleared us to land. I couldn't see airport, it was behind us. However, first officer saw it. First officer called for the base leg. I turned, asked for flaps 17 degrees, and reduced power. Upon completion of turn and could see runway, I knew from prior arrs into city this was not the airport, also confirmed with navaids. Executed climb to previously assigned altitude, tower called after we started the go around. There was traffic at elkhart, saw them visually and on TCASII. This was not a near miss. Solutions to problem: should have communicated to first officer that I didn't want to call airport yet, rely more on navaids sooner, and do not get too lax in VMC conditions. Approach could have asked us verify position of airport. Elkhart approximately 10-15 mi east of south bend, runway same direction and relatively same size. Another factor could have been approach having us so low outside of airport, definitely not the norm. Also, telling us to contact tower that far away and being on a right downwind at elkhart. Also report of tall towers at 12 O'clock made me want to start base leg as soon as practicable.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE ACR FLC OF AN LTT CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH, BUT IT WAS THE WRONG ARPT. THE FLC FINALLY EXECUTED A GAR.

Narrative: WX IS VMC AT SVN, FIRST FLT TOGETHER WITH THIS FO. I THOUGHT I SAW ARPT AND TOLD FO THAT I HAD THE ARPT. APCH HAD US AT 3000 FT AND 260 DEG HDG AND RPTED TWRS AT 12 O'CLOCK AT 2000 FT. FO TOLD APCH WE HAD THE ARPT, I DID NOT TELL THE FO TO RPT THIS. HOWEVER, SINCE I THOUGHT I HAD SEEN THE ARPT, I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE CALL. APCH CLRED US FOR A R DOWNWIND, THE ARPT WAS OFF THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT, AND CALL TWR. NAVAIDS WERE ALREADY SET UP FOR ILS RWY 9R SBN, TWR CLRED US TO LAND. I COULDN'T SEE ARPT, IT WAS BEHIND US. HOWEVER, FO SAW IT. FO CALLED FOR THE BASE LEG. I TURNED, ASKED FOR FLAPS 17 DEGS, AND REDUCED PWR. UPON COMPLETION OF TURN AND COULD SEE RWY, I KNEW FROM PRIOR ARRS INTO CITY THIS WAS NOT THE ARPT, ALSO CONFIRMED WITH NAVAIDS. EXECUTED CLB TO PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT, TWR CALLED AFTER WE STARTED THE GAR. THERE WAS TFC AT ELKHART, SAW THEM VISUALLY AND ON TCASII. THIS WAS NOT A NEAR MISS. SOLUTIONS TO PROB: SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED TO FO THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL ARPT YET, RELY MORE ON NAVAIDS SOONER, AND DO NOT GET TOO LAX IN VMC CONDITIONS. APCH COULD HAVE ASKED US VERIFY POS OF ARPT. ELKHART APPROX 10-15 MI E OF SOUTH BEND, RWY SAME DIRECTION AND RELATIVELY SAME SIZE. ANOTHER FACTOR COULD HAVE BEEN APCH HAVING US SO LOW OUTSIDE OF ARPT, DEFINITELY NOT THE NORM. ALSO, TELLING US TO CONTACT TWR THAT FAR AWAY AND BEING ON A R DOWNWIND AT ELKHART. ALSO RPT OF TALL TWRS AT 12 O'CLOCK MADE ME WANT TO START BASE LEG AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE.

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.