ACR LGT WRONG ARPT APCH MAKING A VISUAL APCH INTO SJU.
Synopsis
ACR LGT WRONG ARPT APCH MAKING A VISUAL APCH INTO SJU.
Narrative
FIRST TIME TO SJU FOR MYSELF AND FO. LNDG RWY 8 AT SAN JUAN. LEVEL AT 2000 FT MSL CONFIGN FOR APCH WITH CLRNC FOR VISUAL APCH TO 8 WITH ARPT INSIGHT. INITIALLY CLRED TO PATTY (OM FOR 8). I WAS USING PAGE 11-1 TO RWY 8 FOR REF. EACH PLT VERIFIED HAVING THE RWY IN SIGHT AND RELAYED SAME IN ANSWER TO APCH. I WAS VISUALLY LOOKING AT ISLA GRANDE ARPT; STARTED A TURN TOWARDS IT; LET DOWN TO 1600 FROM 2000; REALIZED MISTAKE; CLBED BACK TO 2000; TURNED BACK TOWARDS LUIS MUNOZ MARIN INTL; FLEW THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. 3 FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO DEV. 1) FIRST TIME INTO SAN JUAN. 2) TAKING OVER VISUALLY TOO SOON WITH MISIDENT OF ARPT. 3) CHART 11-1 HAS A BUILT-IN TRAP -- THE BOX IDENTS THE ILS IDENT AND FREQ FOR RWY 8 IS SITUATED ON CHART SO THAT IT BLOCKS OUT THE 'STAR/CIRCLE' IDENTING ANOTHER ARPT LOCATION. COMPARE THIS PAGE WITH THE APCH TO RWY 10. ON RWY 10 PAGE THE 'STAR/CIRCLE' WITH ISLA GRANDE IS CLRLY VISIBLE. THE ONLY MARK SHOWING IS JUST THE STAR N RWY 8. CHART MAKER SHOULD DEFINITELY MOVE THE IDENT BOX MORE TO THE NW AND MAKE THE ARROW LONGER POINTING TO THE COURSE FAN; REINSTATING THE 'STAR/CIRCLE' AND ISLA GRANDE DEPICTION. IT WOULD HELP IN PREVENTING MISIDENTS OF ARPTS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.