Narrative:

I was arriving into dtw on the spica 2 arrival for runway 21L. It was VFR, visual approachs were in progress, and I was unfamiliar with the airport. At approximately 6-8 mi out at 2100 ft, on a heading of 250 degrees, I called the field in sight, but not the runway -- a mistake I will not repeat. I began a turn to the south and a slow descent to 1800 ft. At that time the dtw approach controller called to advise that my present heading would kept me too far left (east) of runway 21R. At about the same time I saw runway 21L out the right front window. We were going to pass to the east of runway 21L and were too close in to make a safe visual landing. I asked for a go around and vectors for another visual. Approach gave me present heading (210 degrees) and a climb to 2000 ft. In executing the missed, I overshot the 2000 ft by 300-400 ft. The controller cleared me to 3000 ft. I was vectored around and made a normal visual approach and landing. This all happened because I had the airport in sight, but was mistaken. In addition, the vector of 250 degrees would have taken us too close (almost directly) to the airport. Simultaneous approachs were in progress to runway 21L&right. As a result, I turned too early, to avoid overshooting the centerline of runway 21L. This put me too far east to pick up the runway lights until I was too close in. It was also confusing when the controller referred to runway 21R, when we were east of runway 21L. In the future I have decided that it is better to ask for an approach unless I have the runway in sight, and am sure it is the correct one.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-10 FLC, UNFAMILIAR WITH ARPT, BEGIN AN INCORRECT VISUAL APCH AND REQUIRE MISSED APCH, AND OVERSHOOT ALT.

Narrative: I WAS ARRIVING INTO DTW ON THE SPICA 2 ARR FOR RWY 21L. IT WAS VFR, VISUAL APCHS WERE IN PROGRESS, AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. AT APPROX 6-8 MI OUT AT 2100 FT, ON A HDG OF 250 DEGS, I CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT, BUT NOT THE RWY -- A MISTAKE I WILL NOT REPEAT. I BEGAN A TURN TO THE S AND A SLOW DSCNT TO 1800 FT. AT THAT TIME THE DTW APCH CTLR CALLED TO ADVISE THAT MY PRESENT HDG WOULD KEPT ME TOO FAR L (E) OF RWY 21R. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME I SAW RWY 21L OUT THE R FRONT WINDOW. WE WERE GOING TO PASS TO THE E OF RWY 21L AND WERE TOO CLOSE IN TO MAKE A SAFE VISUAL LNDG. I ASKED FOR A GAR AND VECTORS FOR ANOTHER VISUAL. APCH GAVE ME PRESENT HDG (210 DEGS) AND A CLB TO 2000 FT. IN EXECUTING THE MISSED, I OVERSHOT THE 2000 FT BY 300-400 FT. THE CTLR CLRED ME TO 3000 FT. I WAS VECTORED AROUND AND MADE A NORMAL VISUAL APCH AND LNDG. THIS ALL HAPPENED BECAUSE I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, BUT WAS MISTAKEN. IN ADDITION, THE VECTOR OF 250 DEGS WOULD HAVE TAKEN US TOO CLOSE (ALMOST DIRECTLY) TO THE ARPT. SIMULTANEOUS APCHS WERE IN PROGRESS TO RWY 21L&R. AS A RESULT, I TURNED TOO EARLY, TO AVOID OVERSHOOTING THE CTRLINE OF RWY 21L. THIS PUT ME TOO FAR E TO PICK UP THE RWY LIGHTS UNTIL I WAS TOO CLOSE IN. IT WAS ALSO CONFUSING WHEN THE CTLR REFERRED TO RWY 21R, WHEN WE WERE E OF RWY 21L. IN THE FUTURE I HAVE DECIDED THAT IT IS BETTER TO ASK FOR AN APCH UNLESS I HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT, AND AM SURE IT IS THE CORRECT ONE.

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.