BE40 crew becomes disoriented on visual approach to sba and descends below MSA.

Attributes
ACN	721633
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gvo.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sba.tracon
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6980 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	721633
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During descent into sba from the north; we were cleared to habut xc; which is 11.7 NM east of the airport. Our flight path took us over iza. We mistakenly identify the bcn at iza as sba; and were cleared for a visual approach. At about 3500 ft controller queried us and informed us his MVA was 7000 ft. I began an immediate climb; and within 15 seconds acquired the approach lights for runway 7 at sba. The main contributing factor to this breakdown in judgement was fatigue. Others were distraction from trying to document an intermittent problem causing various taws related annunciators to come on then off; my failure to maintain spatial awareness (ie; we were flying toward a point 11.7 NM east of sba not toward the airport; a weak sic who also did not register the mistake; and tended not to 'speak up' when something did not seem right. Primarily though this was caused by fatigue leading to my poor judgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE40 CREW BECOMES DISORIENTED ON VISUAL APCH TO SBA AND DSNDS BELOW MSA.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO SBA FROM THE N; WE WERE CLRED TO HABUT XC; WHICH IS 11.7 NM E OF THE ARPT. OUR FLT PATH TOOK US OVER IZA. WE MISTAKENLY IDENT THE BCN AT IZA AS SBA; AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. AT ABOUT 3500 FT CTLR QUERIED US AND INFORMED US HIS MVA WAS 7000 FT. I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB; AND WITHIN 15 SECONDS ACQUIRED THE APCH LIGHTS FOR RWY 7 AT SBA. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS BREAKDOWN IN JUDGEMENT WAS FATIGUE. OTHERS WERE DISTR FROM TRYING TO DOCUMENT AN INTERMITTENT PROB CAUSING VARIOUS TAWS RELATED ANNUNCIATORS TO COME ON THEN OFF; MY FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SPATIAL AWARENESS (IE; WE WERE FLYING TOWARD A POINT 11.7 NM E OF SBA NOT TOWARD THE ARPT; A WEAK SIC WHO ALSO DID NOT REGISTER THE MISTAKE; AND TENDED NOT TO 'SPEAK UP' WHEN SOMETHING DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. PRIMARILY THOUGH THIS WAS CAUSED BY FATIGUE LEADING TO MY POOR JUDGEMENT.

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.