Narrative:

Albany approach giving radar vector to sch for visual approach to runway 4. Crew requested navigation direct FAF on ILS procedure for runway 4. Request was approved and after loading ILS 4 in the FMS was proceeding direct FAF when we thought we spotted the airport. Requested and were cleared for visual and were handed off to sch tower. Tower asked our position and we responded 5 mi to the south. Crew did not continue to the marker as planned but turned early for what appeared to be a modified right base leg for runway 4. We recognized that we were lining up for runway 10. At this point, approximately 2.5 mi east of what we realized was alb not sch, we initiated a right turn to parallel the airport in an effort to avoid any possible conflict. We were advised at this point by sch tower to climb to 3000 ft and contact alb approach. After a humbling conversation, we were once again vectored to sch and made a normal landing. Failure to execute original briefing in unfamiliar area. Crew failure to use all available resources. Attempt to use VFR techniques to save steps on IFR flight without briefing VFR cues to be followed, ie, number and bearing of runways. Approach controller deserves special commendation for his handling of a situation that could have created a dangerous conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAWKER 800XP FLC MISTAKENLY MADE AN APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT, ALB VICE SCH, DUE TO BREAKING OFF THEIR TRANSITION TO THE SCH ILS EARLY TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: ALBANY APCH GIVING RADAR VECTOR TO SCH FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 4. CREW REQUESTED NAV DIRECT FAF ON ILS PROC FOR RWY 4. REQUEST WAS APPROVED AND AFTER LOADING ILS 4 IN THE FMS WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT FAF WHEN WE THOUGHT WE SPOTTED THE ARPT. REQUESTED AND WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL AND WERE HANDED OFF TO SCH TWR. TWR ASKED OUR POS AND WE RESPONDED 5 MI TO THE S. CREW DID NOT CONTINUE TO THE MARKER AS PLANNED BUT TURNED EARLY FOR WHAT APPEARED TO BE A MODIFIED R BASE LEG FOR RWY 4. WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE LINING UP FOR RWY 10. AT THIS POINT, APPROX 2.5 MI E OF WHAT WE REALIZED WAS ALB NOT SCH, WE INITIATED A R TURN TO PARALLEL THE ARPT IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID ANY POSSIBLE CONFLICT. WE WERE ADVISED AT THIS POINT BY SCH TWR TO CLB TO 3000 FT AND CONTACT ALB APCH. AFTER A HUMBLING CONVERSATION, WE WERE ONCE AGAIN VECTORED TO SCH AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. FAILURE TO EXECUTE ORIGINAL BRIEFING IN UNFAMILIAR AREA. CREW FAILURE TO USE ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES. ATTEMPT TO USE VFR TECHNIQUES TO SAVE STEPS ON IFR FLT WITHOUT BRIEFING VFR CUES TO BE FOLLOWED, IE, NUMBER AND BEARING OF RWYS. APCH CTLR DESERVES SPECIAL COMMENDATION FOR HIS HANDLING OF A SIT THAT COULD HAVE CREATED A DANGEROUS CONFLICT.

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.