Narrative:

Air carrier X, svn-vcv southern ca international, day IFR passenger flight. Joshua approach said report the airport in sight for the visual while we were descending. Saw an airport in correct location, and first officer confirmed it. Did not pick up localizer or GS and I didn't like the airport layout, so I questioned it. Approach gave us to tower and we asked if the localizer and GS was okay and if he had us in sight. When closer, saw that runway was numbered runway 18 instead of runway 17. Executed go around at approximately 1000 ft, steered toward vcv VOR and climbed. Went back to approach and while trying to contact them, saw vcv airport over a ridge, a few NM away to the west. Finally talked to approach, we confirmed vcv airport and continued. Approach controller commented that it was hazy and that it might've been apple valley airport we saw (apv). Transitioned back to vcv tower and landed from visual downwind leg without incident. At no time were we in any danger due to terrain or traffic. Joshua approach and vcv tower said nothing further. In retrospect, approach controller is spring-loaded to give a visual even though relatively high terrain exists. The only transition to the ILS runway 17 is via a 13 DME arc. I doubt a vector for the ILS would be available due to terrain. In the future, as I do with other limited visual approachs or unfamiliar approachs, I will insist upon flying the approach. We were familiar with the layout of the area as we had been in vcv a few days before, but the apv airport was not pictured on our approach chart. It was pictured on the low en route chart, however.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC10-10 MADE APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT AND DISCOVERED MISTAKE WHEN THEY OBSERVED THE RWY NUMBERS DIFFERENT FROM THE RWY TO WHICH THEY HAD BEEN CLRED TO FOR A VISUAL APCH. FLC THEN INITIATED A GAR AND LOCATED THE INTENDED ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY.

Narrative: ACR X, SVN-VCV SOUTHERN CA INTL, DAY IFR PAX FLT. JOSHUA APCH SAID RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT FOR THE VISUAL WHILE WE WERE DSNDING. SAW AN ARPT IN CORRECT LOCATION, AND FO CONFIRMED IT. DID NOT PICK UP LOC OR GS AND I DIDN'T LIKE THE ARPT LAYOUT, SO I QUESTIONED IT. APCH GAVE US TO TWR AND WE ASKED IF THE LOC AND GS WAS OKAY AND IF HE HAD US IN SIGHT. WHEN CLOSER, SAW THAT RWY WAS NUMBERED RWY 18 INSTEAD OF RWY 17. EXECUTED GAR AT APPROX 1000 FT, STEERED TOWARD VCV VOR AND CLBED. WENT BACK TO APCH AND WHILE TRYING TO CONTACT THEM, SAW VCV ARPT OVER A RIDGE, A FEW NM AWAY TO THE W. FINALLY TALKED TO APCH, WE CONFIRMED VCV ARPT AND CONTINUED. APCH CTLR COMMENTED THAT IT WAS HAZY AND THAT IT MIGHT'VE BEEN APPLE VALLEY ARPT WE SAW (APV). TRANSITIONED BACK TO VCV TWR AND LANDED FROM VISUAL DOWNWIND LEG WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT NO TIME WERE WE IN ANY DANGER DUE TO TERRAIN OR TFC. JOSHUA APCH AND VCV TWR SAID NOTHING FURTHER. IN RETROSPECT, APCH CTLR IS SPRING-LOADED TO GIVE A VISUAL EVEN THOUGH RELATIVELY HIGH TERRAIN EXISTS. THE ONLY TRANSITION TO THE ILS RWY 17 IS VIA A 13 DME ARC. I DOUBT A VECTOR FOR THE ILS WOULD BE AVAILABLE DUE TO TERRAIN. IN THE FUTURE, AS I DO WITH OTHER LIMITED VISUAL APCHS OR UNFAMILIAR APCHS, I WILL INSIST UPON FLYING THE APCH. WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE AREA AS WE HAD BEEN IN VCV A FEW DAYS BEFORE, BUT THE APV ARPT WAS NOT PICTURED ON OUR APCH CHART. IT WAS PICTURED ON THE LOW ENRTE CHART, HOWEVER.

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.