Narrative:

After being vectored in from avl to clt on a set of headings that we do not normally get (this was due to our request for a lower altitude due to turbulence), we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 36R. Both the captain and I had the airport before the visual descent. We were descended to 2300 ft and accepted the visual on the captain's belief she still had the airport. (I was the PF and had lost the airport.) my localizer was set to the runway 36R ILS. We were cleared for the visual. I had noted the localizer went to a full left deflection as I turned toward 360 degrees per the captain's instructions. I continued to 345 degrees to put in an intercept. Immediately, approach control asked our heading and they advised the airport was to our right approximately 80 degrees and immediately I corrected the approach and we landed uneventfully. The mistake was due to our acceptance of a visual approach without having the airport correctly idented. Contributing problems were 1) the unusual angles approach had us on as compared with our 'regular' approach. 2) the field of lights just west of the airport that look very similar to the field of lights just east of the clt airport 3) pilot error -- enough said. Corrections: don't accept a visual approach unless you are both positive of the airport in sight, and runway in sight. P.south. Clt approach was very professional and although we really made a mistake, they were quick to try and fix the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC8 FLC BECAME DISORIENTED AFTER BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH FROM VECTORS TOWARD THE ARPT THEY NORMALLY H AD NOT BEEN GIVEN. ALERT APCH CTLR NOTICED THEIR HDG TO THE ARPT TAKING THEM AWAY AND DIRECTED THEM BACK.

Narrative: AFTER BEING VECTORED IN FROM AVL TO CLT ON A SET OF HDGS THAT WE DO NOT NORMALLY GET (THIS WAS DUE TO OUR REQUEST FOR A LOWER ALT DUE TO TURB), WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36R. BOTH THE CAPT AND I HAD THE ARPT BEFORE THE VISUAL DSCNT. WE WERE DSNDED TO 2300 FT AND ACCEPTED THE VISUAL ON THE CAPT'S BELIEF SHE STILL HAD THE ARPT. (I WAS THE PF AND HAD LOST THE ARPT.) MY LOC WAS SET TO THE RWY 36R ILS. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. I HAD NOTED THE LOC WENT TO A FULL L DEFLECTION AS I TURNED TOWARD 360 DEGS PER THE CAPT'S INSTRUCTIONS. I CONTINUED TO 345 DEGS TO PUT IN AN INTERCEPT. IMMEDIATELY, APCH CTL ASKED OUR HDG AND THEY ADVISED THE ARPT WAS TO OUR R APPROX 80 DEGS AND IMMEDIATELY I CORRECTED THE APCH AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE MISTAKE WAS DUE TO OUR ACCEPTANCE OF A VISUAL APCH WITHOUT HAVING THE ARPT CORRECTLY IDENTED. CONTRIBUTING PROBS WERE 1) THE UNUSUAL ANGLES APCH HAD US ON AS COMPARED WITH OUR 'REGULAR' APCH. 2) THE FIELD OF LIGHTS JUST W OF THE ARPT THAT LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIELD OF LIGHTS JUST E OF THE CLT ARPT 3) PLT ERROR -- ENOUGH SAID. CORRECTIONS: DON'T ACCEPT A VISUAL APCH UNLESS YOU ARE BOTH POSITIVE OF THE ARPT IN SIGHT, AND RWY IN SIGHT. P.S. CLT APCH WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND ALTHOUGH WE REALLY MADE A MISTAKE, THEY WERE QUICK TO TRY AND FIX THE PROB.

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.