SW4 crew landed at military field fri when they intended to land at mhk.

Attributes
ACN	525390
Time
Date	200109
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fri.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc tower : mhk.tower tower : msn.tower
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 51 flight time total : 1650
ASRS Report	523390
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately XA00, aircraft X was cleared for a visual approach to runway 3 at mhk. The captain announced he had the field in sight approximately 7 mi south of the field. About that time, ZKC warned us of another aircraft in the area. After locating the aircraft, we began a descent for the airport. It was at this time that I saw the field as well. The runway ahead that I saw had the same direction runway that we were looking for. During the descent, the GS also came alive. At this time, I was going through the descent and landing checklist, watching aircraft speed, and GS. Upon landing, the captain said we were not at the right airport. The captain notified ATC. ATC then gave us a takeoff clearance from runway 5. We took off and landed at mhk. According to ground handlers at mhk, this is a very common occurrence. In my opinion, if we had approached the airport from any other direction, this would not have happened. When approaching from the south, at a low altitude, you cannot see mhk sitting behind fort riley. It is also not depicted very well on the approach plate. Also since we were receiving GS information, the airport straight ahead, heading the direction expected was a logical choice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SW4 CREW LANDED AT MIL FIELD FRI WHEN THEY INTENDED TO LAND AT MHK.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00, ACFT X WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 3 AT MHK. THE CAPT ANNOUNCED HE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT APPROX 7 MI S OF THE FIELD. ABOUT THAT TIME, ZKC WARNED US OF ANOTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. AFTER LOCATING THE ACFT, WE BEGAN A DSCNT FOR THE ARPT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I SAW THE FIELD AS WELL. THE RWY AHEAD THAT I SAW HAD THE SAME DIRECTION RWY THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. DURING THE DSCNT, THE GS ALSO CAME ALIVE. AT THIS TIME, I WAS GOING THROUGH THE DSCNT AND LNDG CHKLIST, WATCHING ACFT SPD, AND GS. UPON LNDG, THE CAPT SAID WE WERE NOT AT THE RIGHT ARPT. THE CAPT NOTIFIED ATC. ATC THEN GAVE US A TKOF CLRNC FROM RWY 5. WE TOOK OFF AND LANDED AT MHK. ACCORDING TO GND HANDLERS AT MHK, THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE. IN MY OPINION, IF WE HAD APCHED THE ARPT FROM ANY OTHER DIRECTION, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WHEN APCHING FROM THE S, AT A LOW ALT, YOU CANNOT SEE MHK SITTING BEHIND FORT RILEY. IT IS ALSO NOT DEPICTED VERY WELL ON THE APCH PLATE. ALSO SINCE WE WERE RECEIVING GS INFO, THE ARPT STRAIGHT AHEAD, HDG THE DIRECTION EXPECTED WAS A LOGICAL CHOICE.

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.