Narrative:

Aircraft routinely confuse gsp (greenville-spartanburg international); gmu (greenville downtown); and gyh (greenville donaldson). This is a problem gsp approach has learned to deal with. No plane has ever landed at the wrong airport while gsp approach has been open. But at times atlanta center takes over gsp airspace and the tower is not manned. Because they do not have radar coverage at final approach altitude; their radar does not update as often; they have one controller watching a very large block of airspace (gsp would have between 2 and 6 sets of eyes watching the airspace); and there is no way for them to directly contact an aircraft after it has been switched to advisory; it is quite possible that another aircraft will land on the wrong runway while gsp tower is closed. It happened about 3 years ago with a B757 that landed gyh instead of gsp. It has almost happened with 2 regional jets within the last 5 weeks. This week 2 MD83's went to the wrong airport; but gsp controllers were able to stop them from landing. Each airline that uses or could use gsp after the tower closes; should regularly brief their pilots on the possibility of confusing the 3 airports. Atlanta center should brief their controllers about airport confusion at gsp/gyh/gmu. There may be other actions that should be taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GSP CTLR DESCRIBED POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THREE CLOSELY LOCATED ARPTS THAT ARE SOMETIMES MISIDENTIFIED BY ARR ACFT.

Narrative: AIRCRAFT ROUTINELY CONFUSE GSP (GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTERNATIONAL); GMU (GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN); AND GYH (GREENVILLE DONALDSON). THIS IS A PROBLEM GSP APPROACH HAS LEARNED TO DEAL WITH. NO PLANE HAS EVER LANDED AT THE WRONG AIRPORT WHILE GSP APPROACH HAS BEEN OPEN. BUT AT TIMES ATLANTA CENTER TAKES OVER GSP AIRSPACE AND THE TOWER IS NOT MANNED. BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE RADAR COVERAGE AT FINAL APPROACH ALTITUDE; THEIR RADAR DOES NOT UPDATE AS OFTEN; THEY HAVE ONE CONTROLLER WATCHING A VERY LARGE BLOCK OF AIRSPACE (GSP WOULD HAVE BETWEEN 2 AND 6 SETS OF EYES WATCHING THE AIRSPACE); AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR THEM TO DIRECTLY CONTACT AN AIRCRAFT AFTER IT HAS BEEN SWITCHED TO ADVISORY; IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WILL LAND ON THE WRONG RUNWAY WHILE GSP TOWER IS CLOSED. IT HAPPENED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO WITH A B757 THAT LANDED GYH INSTEAD OF GSP. IT HAS ALMOST HAPPENED WITH 2 REGIONAL JETS WITHIN THE LAST 5 WEEKS. THIS WEEK 2 MD83'S WENT TO THE WRONG AIRPORT; BUT GSP CONTROLLERS WERE ABLE TO STOP THEM FROM LANDING. EACH AIRLINE THAT USES OR COULD USE GSP AFTER THE TOWER CLOSES; SHOULD REGULARLY BRIEF THEIR PILOTS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF CONFUSING THE 3 AIRPORTS. ATLANTA CENTER SHOULD BRIEF THEIR CONTROLLERS ABOUT AIRPORT CONFUSION AT GSP/GYH/GMU. THERE MAY BE OTHER ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN.

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.