CRJ200 flight crew is unfamiliar with the arrival procedures for lga.

Attributes
ACN	689709
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	689709
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

ATIS advised of runway 31 at lga. The controller advised me to proceed directly to dials. I looked at the runway 31 approach plate and could find no dials fix. I advised the controller of this and he then said that I should look at the expressway visual to runway 31. I was now on the correct plate and trying to catch up. The controller asked if I had the expressway in sight and I told him that I was unfamiliar. He vectored me to the expressway and I then had lga in sight. A visual clearance followed with the question -- did I have shea stadium in sight. First of all; it's night. I am unfamiliar with the nyc area and it's not baseball season; so the stadium is not lit up. Giving this kind of visual approach to a pilot who is unfamiliar with local landmarks; at night; in a fast-moving jet is not good.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 FLT CREW IS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARR PROCS FOR LGA.

Narrative: ATIS ADVISED OF RWY 31 AT LGA. THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO DIALS. I LOOKED AT THE RWY 31 APCH PLATE AND COULD FIND NO DIALS FIX. I ADVISED THE CTLR OF THIS AND HE THEN SAID THAT I SHOULD LOOK AT THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL TO RWY 31. I WAS NOW ON THE CORRECT PLATE AND TRYING TO CATCH UP. THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD THE EXPRESSWAY IN SIGHT AND I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR. HE VECTORED ME TO THE EXPRESSWAY AND I THEN HAD LGA IN SIGHT. A VISUAL CLRNC FOLLOWED WITH THE QUESTION -- DID I HAVE SHEA STADIUM IN SIGHT. FIRST OF ALL; IT'S NIGHT. I AM UNFAMILIAR WITH THE NYC AREA AND IT'S NOT BASEBALL SEASON; SO THE STADIUM IS NOT LIT UP. GIVING THIS KIND OF VISUAL APCH TO A PLT WHO IS UNFAMILIAR WITH LCL LANDMARKS; AT NIGHT; IN A FAST-MOVING JET IS NOT GOOD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.