F18 military pilot made approach to the wrong airport in anc class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	511100
Time
Date	200105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	511100
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned airspace flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft X was on the deska 2 arrival, ILS ground track to runway 5 at elmendorf AFB. Aircraft X was a flight of 2 military aircraft. Aircraft Y lost sight and approach gave the lead aircraft a vector of 180 degrees to clear the flight. After some discussion of who should squawk what, and the orientation of the flight (who was in position, ie, closer to field to head in first), aircraft X broke out of the clouds, leveling at 2000 ft. Aircraft X was closest to the field, and looking out saw anc and mistook it for elmendorf. Aircraft X was positioned approximately 3-5 mi from anc, perpendicular to runway 6 at 2000 ft MSL. Aircraft X reported field in sight and requested to switch tower. Approach instructed aircraft X to climb to 2500 ft and switch. Aircraft X checked in with tower for the break, and turned toward anc, at 2500 ft MSL and over the runway executed the starting of a break maneuver. Through 90 degrees of turn, tower reported aircraft X was not in sight at the same time aircraft X looked down at the field and realized the mistake. Aircraft X immediately reversed the turn to the right and proceeded to elmendorf AFB. There were no aircraft in the traffic pattern or on the runway at anc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F18 MIL PLT MADE APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT IN ANC CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ACFT X WAS ON THE DESKA 2 ARR, ILS GND TRACK TO RWY 5 AT ELMENDORF AFB. ACFT X WAS A FLT OF 2 MIL ACFT. ACFT Y LOST SIGHT AND APCH GAVE THE LEAD ACFT A VECTOR OF 180 DEGS TO CLR THE FLT. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION OF WHO SHOULD SQUAWK WHAT, AND THE ORIENTATION OF THE FLT (WHO WAS IN POS, IE, CLOSER TO FIELD TO HEAD IN FIRST), ACFT X BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS, LEVELING AT 2000 FT. ACFT X WAS CLOSEST TO THE FIELD, AND LOOKING OUT SAW ANC AND MISTOOK IT FOR ELMENDORF. ACFT X WAS POSITIONED APPROX 3-5 MI FROM ANC, PERPENDICULAR TO RWY 6 AT 2000 FT MSL. ACFT X RPTED FIELD IN SIGHT AND REQUESTED TO SWITCH TWR. APCH INSTRUCTED ACFT X TO CLB TO 2500 FT AND SWITCH. ACFT X CHKED IN WITH TWR FOR THE BREAK, AND TURNED TOWARD ANC, AT 2500 FT MSL AND OVER THE RWY EXECUTED THE STARTING OF A BREAK MANEUVER. THROUGH 90 DEGS OF TURN, TWR RPTED ACFT X WAS NOT IN SIGHT AT THE SAME TIME ACFT X LOOKED DOWN AT THE FIELD AND REALIZED THE MISTAKE. ACFT X IMMEDIATELY REVERSED THE TURN TO THE R AND PROCEEDED TO ELMENDORF AFB. THERE WERE NO ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN OR ON THE RWY AT ANC.

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.