Wrong airport approach caught by approach controller before landing.

Attributes
ACN	94798
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : okc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : okc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7860 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	94798
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 9734 flight time type : 322
ASRS Report	94937
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a flight between tulsa international and will rogers airport we were taken off the arrival (STAR) and cleared direct to the VOR. The controller asked us to report the airport in sight for a visual approach. The PNF reported the airport in sight. Unknown to both of us is that we were looking at tinker AFB, which from the direction we were approaching appears to be will rogers. Although navaids were tuned in, seeing the airport I took over visually to make the approach. Turning final (runway 17) at 3000' MSL we descended to land. At 2500' MSL the controller instructed us to make a right turn to 270 degrees and climb to 3000' MSL. Still confused about the turn and climb, it finally dawned on us what had happened. To the controllers credit he discretely lead us back to will rogers. West/O authorization we entered the air traffic area at tinker. There appeared to be no military traffic conflict. A very valuable lesson was learned by both of us, west/O paying a very high price.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ARPT APCH CAUGHT BY APCH CTLR BEFORE LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE ON A FLT BTWN TULSA INTL AND WILL ROGERS ARPT WE WERE TAKEN OFF THE ARR (STAR) AND CLRED DIRECT TO THE VOR. THE CTLR ASKED US TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE PNF RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT. UNKNOWN TO BOTH OF US IS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT TINKER AFB, WHICH FROM THE DIRECTION WE WERE APCHING APPEARS TO BE WILL ROGERS. ALTHOUGH NAVAIDS WERE TUNED IN, SEEING THE ARPT I TOOK OVER VISUALLY TO MAKE THE APCH. TURNING FINAL (RWY 17) AT 3000' MSL WE DSNDED TO LAND. AT 2500' MSL THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO 270 DEGS AND CLB TO 3000' MSL. STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THE TURN AND CLB, IT FINALLY DAWNED ON US WHAT HAD HAPPENED. TO THE CTLRS CREDIT HE DISCRETELY LEAD US BACK TO WILL ROGERS. W/O AUTHORIZATION WE ENTERED THE ATA AT TINKER. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO MIL TFC CONFLICT. A VERY VALUABLE LESSON WAS LEARNED BY BOTH OF US, W/O PAYING A VERY HIGH PRICE.

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.