Approach began to the wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	567877
Time
Date	200212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 12r
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	567877
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being vectored to final for visual at sjc, clearance from sjc tower was to maintain 2000 ft until established on localizer. Broke out of IMC and at 2000 ft and 9 NM northwest of sjc descended below 2000 ft with moffett federal airfield 4 NM on the nose. Noticed misident of sjc, began climb and turned east. During turn and climb, sjc tower called recommending a turn east for sjc runway 12R.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH BEGAN TO THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED TO FINAL FOR VISUAL AT SJC, CLRNC FROM SJC TWR WAS TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON LOC. BROKE OUT OF IMC AND AT 2000 FT AND 9 NM NW OF SJC DSNDED BELOW 2000 FT WITH MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD 4 NM ON THE NOSE. NOTICED MISIDENT OF SJC, BEGAN CLB AND TURNED E. DURING TURN AND CLB, SJC TWR CALLED RECOMMENDING A TURN E FOR SJC RWY 12R.

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.