Narrative:

During a night approach to runway 1L at las airport, the clearance received was 'cleared to las VOR, direct, expect the visual to runway 1L.' pilot received and acknowledged, the pilot thought he had the airport in sight and reported, at that time he was cleared for the visual approach. I left and acknowledged, 2 mins later, approach advised 'you are 3 mi west of runway 1L centerline.' pilot acknowledged. ATC then asked if the airport was in sight. Pilot acknowledged 'yes.' ATC then asked 'do you have the airport?' again the pilot stated 'yes.' ATC then asked 'is there a conflict with your position and mine?' the pilot stated 'yes.' ATC issued a 90 degree turn to the right until further advised. 2 mins later, until the pilot reported airport in sight, ATC advised 'cleared for the visual runway 1L, contact tower.' pilot complied and landed without further incident. Conclusion: the pilot flies on a regular basis to las and is familiar with the area. Visual approach to runway 1L, however, is not or seldom used. The pilot was in error when the initial report of airport in sight and was going to the wrong location, thinking it was the airport. ATC's intervention was quick and appropriate. Clearly the pilot was mistaken and lost situational awareness and position of aircraft because of familiarity of the area and complacency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CPR TWIN TURBOPROP BECAME DISORIENTED DURING A NIGHT VISUAL APCH RESULTING IN APCH CTLR INTERVENTION AND ASSISTANCE IN VECTORING RPTR TO RWY.

Narrative: DURING A NIGHT APCH TO RWY 1L AT LAS ARPT, THE CLRNC RECEIVED WAS 'CLRED TO LAS VOR, DIRECT, EXPECT THE VISUAL TO RWY 1L.' PLT RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED, THE PLT THOUGHT HE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND RPTED, AT THAT TIME HE WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I LEFT AND ACKNOWLEDGED, 2 MINS LATER, APCH ADVISED 'YOU ARE 3 MI W OF RWY 1L CTRLINE.' PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. ATC THEN ASKED IF THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. PLT ACKNOWLEDGED 'YES.' ATC THEN ASKED 'DO YOU HAVE THE ARPT?' AGAIN THE PLT STATED 'YES.' ATC THEN ASKED 'IS THERE A CONFLICT WITH YOUR POS AND MINE?' THE PLT STATED 'YES.' ATC ISSUED A 90 DEG TURN TO THE R UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED. 2 MINS LATER, UNTIL THE PLT RPTED ARPT IN SIGHT, ATC ADVISED 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 1L, CONTACT TWR.' PLT COMPLIED AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONCLUSION: THE PLT FLIES ON A REGULAR BASIS TO LAS AND IS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1L, HOWEVER, IS NOT OR SELDOM USED. THE PLT WAS IN ERROR WHEN THE INITIAL RPT OF ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS GOING TO THE WRONG LOCATION, THINKING IT WAS THE ARPT. ATC'S INTERVENTION WAS QUICK AND APPROPRIATE. CLRLY THE PLT WAS MISTAKEN AND LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND POS OF ACFT BECAUSE OF FAMILIARITY OF THE AREA AND COMPLACENCY.

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.