Narrative:

Night vision goggle upgrade training mission to a strange range using a targeting pod. Coming home from a fairly challenging mission as the instructor pilot with little experience using the targeting pod. The aircraft had an INS problem and the upgrade was a fairly new instructor pilot with little time using both nvg's and the targeting pod. Upon returning back to the airport, ATC cleared me to follow B727 visually to active landing runway. The person working ATC for approach/tower and ground was the same person. My wingman was in 2 mi trail and I called the B727 and airfield in sight. I was actually looking at the runway lights for runway 3 and not runway 8. I followed the B727 but was convinced runway 3 was runway 8 and was disoriented that the B727 did not go to the runway. I asked the controller if he was a factor and he replied 'no.' the runway lights at abq are omni-directional and all I saw was runway 3. I landed runway 3, only 6250 ft usable, the rest under construction. My wingman followed me, touched down but I told him to 'go around' once I realized something was wrong. No harm to runway or aircraft, but a close call. Lessons learned: challenging mission completed but complacent returning to base. Did not xchk instruments but instead went visually and followed B727. Late at night, tired and decisions made by myself and wingman were poor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN F16 FLT OF 2 LAND ON THE WRONG RWY AT ABQ, NM.

Narrative: NIGHT VISION GOGGLE UPGRADE TRAINING MISSION TO A STRANGE RANGE USING A TARGETING POD. COMING HOME FROM A FAIRLY CHALLENGING MISSION AS THE INSTRUCTOR PLT WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE USING THE TARGETING POD. THE ACFT HAD AN INS PROB AND THE UPGRADE WAS A FAIRLY NEW INSTRUCTOR PLT WITH LITTLE TIME USING BOTH NVG'S AND THE TARGETING POD. UPON RETURNING BACK TO THE ARPT, ATC CLRED ME TO FOLLOW B727 VISUALLY TO ACTIVE LNDG RWY. THE PERSON WORKING ATC FOR APCH/TWR AND GND WAS THE SAME PERSON. MY WINGMAN WAS IN 2 MI TRAIL AND I CALLED THE B727 AND AIRFIELD IN SIGHT. I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE RWY LIGHTS FOR RWY 3 AND NOT RWY 8. I FOLLOWED THE B727 BUT WAS CONVINCED RWY 3 WAS RWY 8 AND WAS DISORIENTED THAT THE B727 DID NOT GO TO THE RWY. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WAS A FACTOR AND HE REPLIED 'NO.' THE RWY LIGHTS AT ABQ ARE OMNI-DIRECTIONAL AND ALL I SAW WAS RWY 3. I LANDED RWY 3, ONLY 6250 FT USABLE, THE REST UNDER CONSTRUCTION. MY WINGMAN FOLLOWED ME, TOUCHED DOWN BUT I TOLD HIM TO 'GO AROUND' ONCE I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. NO HARM TO RWY OR ACFT, BUT A CLOSE CALL. LESSONS LEARNED: CHALLENGING MISSION COMPLETED BUT COMPLACENT RETURNING TO BASE. DID NOT XCHK INSTS BUT INSTEAD WENT VISUALLY AND FOLLOWED B727. LATE AT NIGHT, TIRED AND DECISIONS MADE BY MYSELF AND WINGMAN WERE POOR.

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.