FK10 crew began a visual approach to the wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	437272
Time
Date	199905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : isp.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 6
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	437272
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	437260
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Visual approach to wrong airport. On approach to islip, we were cleared for the visual to runway 6. All applicable navaids were tuned in. I saw an airport to our left that looked like islip airport and pointed it out to the first officer. We accepted the visual to runway 6. I noticed that the localizer was indicating that the runway was in the opposite direction and was about to query approach when the controller told us to maintain 3000 ft and turn right to a 090 degree heading stating that islip was still 15 mi northeast of us and he suspected we started a visual to the wrong airport and gave the name of the airport, which I don't recall. We proceeded to islip on that heading and landed uneventfully. I learned a valuable lesson. Even though the navaids were tuned for our approach, I still allowed my eyeballs to deceive me. I had been to islip at least 20 times over the last 6 yrs and allowed my familiarity with the area to cloud my better judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FK10 CREW BEGAN A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: VISUAL APCH TO WRONG ARPT. ON APCH TO ISLIP, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 6. ALL APPLICABLE NAVAIDS WERE TUNED IN. I SAW AN ARPT TO OUR L THAT LOOKED LIKE ISLIP ARPT AND POINTED IT OUT TO THE FO. WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL TO RWY 6. I NOTICED THAT THE LOC WAS INDICATING THAT THE RWY WAS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND WAS ABOUT TO QUERY APCH WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND TURN R TO A 090 DEG HDG STATING THAT ISLIP WAS STILL 15 MI NE OF US AND HE SUSPECTED WE STARTED A VISUAL TO THE WRONG ARPT AND GAVE THE NAME OF THE ARPT, WHICH I DON'T RECALL. WE PROCEEDED TO ISLIP ON THAT HDG AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON. EVEN THOUGH THE NAVAIDS WERE TUNED FOR OUR APCH, I STILL ALLOWED MY EYEBALLS TO DECEIVE ME. I HAD BEEN TO ISLIP AT LEAST 20 TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 YRS AND ALLOWED MY FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA TO CLOUD MY BETTER JUDGEMENT.

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.