Cpr small transport accepted a visual approach before they had the airport in sight, then started ap...

Attributes
ACN	94218
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aln
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aln tower : aln
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	94218
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were approaching alton, il, from the south at 3000' MSL. The visibility was about 5 mi in haze. The copilot, who is also type rated in the aircraft, was flying left seat. We were using the VOR to navigate to toy VOR, then the LORAN C was set up on the airport. About 10 mi south of alton, approach control cleared us for a visual approach, told us to expect a right base for runway 11 and to contact the tower. About that time, the LORAN was showing the airport passing off our right side, about 1:30 and 5 mi (it was about 6 mi off), but we didn't realize it at the time. I looked out the window and saw what looked like the runway. The pilot flying began a descending turn to align the aircraft with the runway, which turned out to be a road. The pilot flying continued his right turn, chasing the LORAN waypoint, which was passing behind us, leveling at 2200' MSL. In the meantime, I set up the RNAV with the airport's coordinates and found that we were 10 south of the airport. We navigation to it, saw it and landed. On the taxi in, the tower advised us that we should have notified ATC of a 180 degree heading change. Obviously, approach control had mentioned it to them. I learned several lessons from this experience. Even though the LORAN is accurate 99% of the time, always use another navigation reference. Never accept a visual approach unless you are sure you have the airport in sight. (What I saw was a road.) I had not reported that the airport was in sight, therefore, I believe that the controller erred also in clearing me for it. We should have taken more care to set up the navigation radios in advance to verify the airport's position. I think the report of good visibility and the clear skies lulled us a little. Fatigue also was a factor. We had a very early departure and the preceding few days had been quite hectic. (As regards the specific complaint of the tower. We did turn 360 degree, but we were on a visual approach or at least had been cleared for one.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT ACCEPTED A VISUAL APCH BEFORE THEY HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, THEN STARTED APCH TO A HIGHWAY. ERROR DETECTED BY FLT CREW AT 2200 FT AND 360 DEGREE TURN MADE TO LINE UP FOR APCH TO CLRNC ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE APCHING ALTON, IL, FROM THE S AT 3000' MSL. THE VIS WAS ABOUT 5 MI IN HAZE. THE COPLT, WHO IS ALSO TYPE RATED IN THE ACFT, WAS FLYING LEFT SEAT. WE WERE USING THE VOR TO NAVIGATE TO TOY VOR, THEN THE LORAN C WAS SET UP ON THE ARPT. ABOUT 10 MI S OF ALTON, APCH CTL CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH, TOLD US TO EXPECT A RIGHT BASE FOR RWY 11 AND TO CONTACT THE TWR. ABOUT THAT TIME, THE LORAN WAS SHOWING THE ARPT PASSING OFF OUR RIGHT SIDE, ABOUT 1:30 AND 5 MI (IT WAS ABOUT 6 MI OFF), BUT WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE THE RWY. THE PLT FLYING BEGAN A DSNDING TURN TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE RWY, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A ROAD. THE PLT FLYING CONTINUED HIS RIGHT TURN, CHASING THE LORAN WAYPOINT, WHICH WAS PASSING BEHIND US, LEVELING AT 2200' MSL. IN THE MEANTIME, I SET UP THE RNAV WITH THE ARPT'S COORDINATES AND FOUND THAT WE WERE 10 S OF THE ARPT. WE NAV TO IT, SAW IT AND LANDED. ON THE TAXI IN, THE TWR ADVISED US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ATC OF A 180 DEG HDG CHANGE. OBVIOUSLY, APCH CTL HAD MENTIONED IT TO THEM. I LEARNED SEVERAL LESSONS FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. EVEN THOUGH THE LORAN IS ACCURATE 99% OF THE TIME, ALWAYS USE ANOTHER NAV REF. NEVER ACCEPT A VISUAL APCH UNLESS YOU ARE SURE YOU HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT. (WHAT I SAW WAS A ROAD.) I HAD NOT RPTED THAT THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT, THEREFORE, I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR ERRED ALSO IN CLRING ME FOR IT. WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE CARE TO SET UP THE NAV RADIOS IN ADVANCE TO VERIFY THE ARPT'S POS. I THINK THE RPT OF GOOD VIS AND THE CLR SKIES LULLED US A LITTLE. FATIGUE ALSO WAS A FACTOR. WE HAD A VERY EARLY DEP AND THE PRECEDING FEW DAYS HAD BEEN QUITE HECTIC. (AS REGARDS THE SPECIFIC COMPLAINT OF THE TWR. WE DID TURN 360 DEG, BUT WE WERE ON A VISUAL APCH OR AT LEAST HAD BEEN CLRED FOR ONE.)

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Cpr small transport accepted a visual approach before they had the airport in sight, then started approach to a highway. Error detected by flight crew at 2200 ft and 360 degree turn made to line up for approach to clearance airport.