Air carrier crew makes approach to the wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	477120
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon tower : atl.tower
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 19r
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	477120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : private pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1246
ASRS Report	476949
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Planned a visual approach to runway 19R at dulles international airport (iad). Briefed the ILS runway 19R as a backup to the visual. Frequency, course, and altimeter all set for the ILS. Dulles approach was providing vectors to runway 19R. We were cleared to descend to 3000 ft MSL while between 25 and 28 DME from the armel (aml) VOR, northwest of the dulles airport. During the approach briefing, I noted that the airport information page for iad stated that the runway 19R ILS may be OTS due to construction. I re-examined the NOTAMS and found that the construction project was set to begin on or around jul/xa/00. The captain and I concluded that the ILS would be functional. While still 25 DME from iad, the controller requested we call the field in sight. The controller again asked us to call the field in sight a short time later. We acquired a field (leesburg municipal) with similar runway alignment as iad. It 'looked right,' ie, dogleg to final, just a little high on GS (determined visually). I proceeded to align the aircraft for landing, course and GS. At approximately 1000 ft MSL, dulles approach directed an immediate go around. I strongly suspect that my statement about the ILS being OTS led to the crew ignoring the instrument indications of being off course an GS. Also, being prompted by the controller to call the field in sight and the low altitude we were at contributed to making leesburg municipal 'look right.' the vector was, by coincidence, an excellent dogleg to final to leesburg. One suggestion I have is to print the effective date in big and bold letters on the front of the airport information page. I have seen it done on other pages. If I had not mentioned the ILS being OTS, we may have paid more attention to our instrument indications. Supplemental information from acn 476949: at about 1000 ft MSL dulles tower advised us we were still 12 mi from dulles. We had sighted the leesburg, va, airport by mistake. The leesburg runway was aligned similar to runway 19R and had the SFL operating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW MAKES APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: PLANNED A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19R AT DULLES INTL ARPT (IAD). BRIEFED THE ILS RWY 19R AS A BACKUP TO THE VISUAL. FREQ, COURSE, AND ALTIMETER ALL SET FOR THE ILS. DULLES APCH WAS PROVIDING VECTORS TO RWY 19R. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT MSL WHILE BTWN 25 AND 28 DME FROM THE ARMEL (AML) VOR, NW OF THE DULLES ARPT. DURING THE APCH BRIEFING, I NOTED THAT THE ARPT INFO PAGE FOR IAD STATED THAT THE RWY 19R ILS MAY BE OTS DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. I RE-EXAMINED THE NOTAMS AND FOUND THAT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WAS SET TO BEGIN ON OR AROUND JUL/XA/00. THE CAPT AND I CONCLUDED THAT THE ILS WOULD BE FUNCTIONAL. WHILE STILL 25 DME FROM IAD, THE CTLR REQUESTED WE CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE CTLR AGAIN ASKED US TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT A SHORT TIME LATER. WE ACQUIRED A FIELD (LEESBURG MUNI) WITH SIMILAR RWY ALIGNMENT AS IAD. IT 'LOOKED RIGHT,' IE, DOGLEG TO FINAL, JUST A LITTLE HIGH ON GS (DETERMINED VISUALLY). I PROCEEDED TO ALIGN THE ACFT FOR LNDG, COURSE AND GS. AT APPROX 1000 FT MSL, DULLES APCH DIRECTED AN IMMEDIATE GAR. I STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT MY STATEMENT ABOUT THE ILS BEING OTS LED TO THE CREW IGNORING THE INST INDICATIONS OF BEING OFF COURSE AN GS. ALSO, BEING PROMPTED BY THE CTLR TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND THE LOW ALT WE WERE AT CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING LEESBURG MUNI 'LOOK RIGHT.' THE VECTOR WAS, BY COINCIDENCE, AN EXCELLENT DOGLEG TO FINAL TO LEESBURG. ONE SUGGESTION I HAVE IS TO PRINT THE EFFECTIVE DATE IN BIG AND BOLD LETTERS ON THE FRONT OF THE ARPT INFO PAGE. I HAVE SEEN IT DONE ON OTHER PAGES. IF I HAD NOT MENTIONED THE ILS BEING OTS, WE MAY HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO OUR INST INDICATIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 476949: AT ABOUT 1000 FT MSL DULLES TWR ADVISED US WE WERE STILL 12 MI FROM DULLES. WE HAD SIGHTED THE LEESBURG, VA, ARPT BY MISTAKE. THE LEESBURG RWY WAS ALIGNED SIMILAR TO RWY 19R AND HAD THE SFL OPERATING.

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.