Narrative:

This is a real human performance event. I am a check pilot conducting an IOE for a new first officer on the airbus A320. This was the first officer's last leg before signing him off. Leg was from ord to sna. Prior to descent to sna briefed how they tend to slam dunk you due to terrain and traffic into sna. We both had set navigation display on the FMS and the ILS for runway 19R. Started descent into sna. All was normal until we were held high due to crossing cessna traffic, and at this point I directed the first officer to an airport to our 10 O'clock position and said that was not sna. At this point ATC cleared us of traffic and descended us to 4000 ft from 10000 ft. The first officer started a gradual descent, I advised him on being more aggressive on getting down. With this in mind he started to configure the airplane and increase rate of descent, I was assisting in the confign and the final checklists so was totally inside at this time. ATC asked if we had sna in sight for the visual. I looked up and to the left and saw airport that had a runway layout like sna and advised ATC yes I had sna. I pointed to the airport for the first officer and ATC cleared us for the visual. Due to the fact we appeared real high, the first officer was very aggressive in getting down. At this time I looked at the navigation display and noted it did not look right but went no further with it. As we turned to final ATC had us turn to a heading of 250 degrees and said we were lining up with el toro airfield. With that we were able to relocate sna and land normally. High workload, loss of situational awareness, and FMS on navigation display, it was all there. I have reviewed in my mind and will continue to lose sleep on this one.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW FO OF AN ACR LGT MADE APCH TO WRONG ARPT DUE TO CHK CAPT DISTR WHEN CLRED BY ATC FOR A VISUAL APCH. APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND ADVISED THEM OF ERROR AND DIRECTED THEM BACK TO DEST ARPT.

Narrative: THIS IS A REAL HUMAN PERFORMANCE EVENT. I AM A CHK PLT CONDUCTING AN IOE FOR A NEW FO ON THE AIRBUS A320. THIS WAS THE FO'S LAST LEG BEFORE SIGNING HIM OFF. LEG WAS FROM ORD TO SNA. PRIOR TO DSCNT TO SNA BRIEFED HOW THEY TEND TO SLAM DUNK YOU DUE TO TERRAIN AND TFC INTO SNA. WE BOTH HAD SET NAV DISPLAY ON THE FMS AND THE ILS FOR RWY 19R. STARTED DSCNT INTO SNA. ALL WAS NORMAL UNTIL WE WERE HELD HIGH DUE TO XING CESSNA TFC, AND AT THIS POINT I DIRECTED THE FO TO AN ARPT TO OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS AND SAID THAT WAS NOT SNA. AT THIS POINT ATC CLRED US OF TFC AND DSNDED US TO 4000 FT FROM 10000 FT. THE FO STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT, I ADVISED HIM ON BEING MORE AGGRESSIVE ON GETTING DOWN. WITH THIS IN MIND HE STARTED TO CONFIGURE THE AIRPLANE AND INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT, I WAS ASSISTING IN THE CONFIGN AND THE FINAL CHKLISTS SO WAS TOTALLY INSIDE AT THIS TIME. ATC ASKED IF WE HAD SNA IN SIGHT FOR THE VISUAL. I LOOKED UP AND TO THE L AND SAW ARPT THAT HAD A RWY LAYOUT LIKE SNA AND ADVISED ATC YES I HAD SNA. I POINTED TO THE ARPT FOR THE FO AND ATC CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL. DUE TO THE FACT WE APPEARED REAL HIGH, THE FO WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE IN GETTING DOWN. AT THIS TIME I LOOKED AT THE NAV DISPLAY AND NOTED IT DID NOT LOOK RIGHT BUT WENT NO FURTHER WITH IT. AS WE TURNED TO FINAL ATC HAD US TURN TO A HDG OF 250 DEGS AND SAID WE WERE LINING UP WITH EL TORO AIRFIELD. WITH THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RELOCATE SNA AND LAND NORMALLY. HIGH WORKLOAD, LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, AND FMS ON NAV DISPLAY, IT WAS ALL THERE. I HAVE REVIEWED IN MY MIND AND WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE SLEEP ON THIS ONE.

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.