Narrative:

Flight from ewr to hdn. WX report was clear with 9 SM visibility. We planned and briefed to do the full approach with procedure turn to ILS 10 at hdn. 20 mi east of che, ZDV cleared us for the approach. At that point the visibility was unlimited with solid snow covering the terrain. Due to the cold WX, the power plant, which is a major landmark for the airport, was clearly visible, as was 'the' airport. We requested and were cleared for a visual approach to runway 10. Upon switching to CTAF, a GA aircraft reported '1 mi north of the airport, crossing midfield to enter a right downwind for runway 10.' that was a conflict for us. We leveled off at 10000 ft to search for the traffic. We made several radio exchanges with him, but could not see him visually or on TCASII. We turned further to the south to make additional spacing. We still could not see each other. He reported ready to turn base leg, so we told him to go ahead, we would follow him. We extended downwind until we were sure he would be clear of the runway. We rolled out on about a 5 mi final. At 1000-1500 ft AGL, something did not look right. The runway looked short, the power plant was on the wrong side of the runway, the parking ramp was on the wrong side of the runway, the DME was showing about 15 mi and the ILS was not giving the right picture. We went missed approach at about 1000 ft AGL. We had lined up on runway 11 (5600 ft long) at craig moffat airport. That was the airport we saw from 25 mi away (cavu), with the correct runway orientation, and the unmistakable power plant billowing steam. This was my first trip to hdn, the first officer had been there recently. If we had used the FMS and flown the full approach as we briefed, I would not be writing this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FLC LINED UP ON APCH TO THE WRONG NON TWRED ARPT AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH BY ARTCC CTLR 20 MI FROM THE ARPT.

Narrative: FLT FROM EWR TO HDN. WX RPT WAS CLR WITH 9 SM VISIBILITY. WE PLANNED AND BRIEFED TO DO THE FULL APCH WITH PROC TURN TO ILS 10 AT HDN. 20 MI E OF CHE, ZDV CLRED US FOR THE APCH. AT THAT POINT THE VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED WITH SOLID SNOW COVERING THE TERRAIN. DUE TO THE COLD WX, THE PWR PLANT, WHICH IS A MAJOR LANDMARK FOR THE ARPT, WAS CLRLY VISIBLE, AS WAS 'THE' ARPT. WE REQUESTED AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 10. UPON SWITCHING TO CTAF, A GA ACFT RPTED '1 MI N OF THE ARPT, XING MIDFIELD TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 10.' THAT WAS A CONFLICT FOR US. WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT TO SEARCH FOR THE TFC. WE MADE SEVERAL RADIO EXCHANGES WITH HIM, BUT COULD NOT SEE HIM VISUALLY OR ON TCASII. WE TURNED FURTHER TO THE S TO MAKE ADDITIONAL SPACING. WE STILL COULD NOT SEE EACH OTHER. HE RPTED READY TO TURN BASE LEG, SO WE TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD, WE WOULD FOLLOW HIM. WE EXTENDED DOWNWIND UNTIL WE WERE SURE HE WOULD BE CLR OF THE RWY. WE ROLLED OUT ON ABOUT A 5 MI FINAL. AT 1000-1500 FT AGL, SOMETHING DID NOT LOOK RIGHT. THE RWY LOOKED SHORT, THE PWR PLANT WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RWY, THE PARKING RAMP WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RWY, THE DME WAS SHOWING ABOUT 15 MI AND THE ILS WAS NOT GIVING THE RIGHT PICTURE. WE WENT MISSED APCH AT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. WE HAD LINED UP ON RWY 11 (5600 FT LONG) AT CRAIG MOFFAT ARPT. THAT WAS THE ARPT WE SAW FROM 25 MI AWAY (CAVU), WITH THE CORRECT RWY ORIENTATION, AND THE UNMISTAKABLE PWR PLANT BILLOWING STEAM. THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP TO HDN, THE FO HAD BEEN THERE RECENTLY. IF WE HAD USED THE FMS AND FLOWN THE FULL APCH AS WE BRIEFED, I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS RPT.

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.