B737-200 crew accepted a 'visual approach' and did not have the airport in sight at mci.

Attributes
ACN	530299
Time
Date	200111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci.tracon
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 19r
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	530299
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On downwind to mci we were being radar vectored to runway 19R. The controller asked if we could make it down for our landing given the distance to the field (about 8 mi). I asked the first officer, who was flying, and he stated yes. I assumed at that point he had the airport in sight and I advised approach that we had the airport in sight. We were given a base turn and cleared the visual approach. I thought I had the airport in sight. The first officer did not. At this point we flew through the localizer. We were then given a re-intercept heading and I still thought I had the airport in sight. The first officer, not having the airport, again flew the localizer. Approach asked us several times if we had the airport and I replied that we did. I was mistaken. I did see the runway we were about 1 mi west of centerline, but still in a position to make a normal landing, which we did. The 'airport' I thought I was looking at was another set of lights and concrete. It was dusk and hazy and the optical illusion of the false airport appeared to be the correct point of landing. Another mistake I made was not confirming that the first officer had the airport in sight. I was wrong. Both pilots need to positively identify the airport before accepting a visual approach. No conflict with another aircraft occurred but easily could have. A lesson learned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CREW ACCEPTED A 'VISUAL APCH' AND DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT MCI.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND TO MCI WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED TO RWY 19R. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD MAKE IT DOWN FOR OUR LNDG GIVEN THE DISTANCE TO THE FIELD (ABOUT 8 MI). I ASKED THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING, AND HE STATED YES. I ASSUMED AT THAT POINT HE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND I ADVISED APCH THAT WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE WERE GIVEN A BASE TURN AND CLRED THE VISUAL APCH. I THOUGHT I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THE FO DID NOT. AT THIS POINT WE FLEW THROUGH THE LOC. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A RE-INTERCEPT HEADING AND I STILL THOUGHT I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THE FO, NOT HAVING THE ARPT, AGAIN FLEW THE LOC. APCH ASKED US SEVERAL TIMES IF WE HAD THE ARPT AND I REPLIED THAT WE DID. I WAS MISTAKEN. I DID SEE THE RWY WE WERE ABOUT 1 MI W OF CTRLINE, BUT STILL IN A POS TO MAKE A NORMAL LNDG, WHICH WE DID. THE 'ARPT' I THOUGHT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS ANOTHER SET OF LIGHTS AND CONCRETE. IT WAS DUSK AND HAZY AND THE OPTICAL ILLUSION OF THE FALSE ARPT APPEARED TO BE THE CORRECT POINT OF LNDG. ANOTHER MISTAKE I MADE WAS NOT CONFIRMING THAT THE FO HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I WAS WRONG. BOTH PLTS NEED TO POSITIVELY IDENT THE ARPT BEFORE ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH. NO CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT OCCURRED BUT EASILY COULD HAVE. A LESSON LEARNED.

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.