ACR ACFT LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.

Date: 1992-02 · Aircraft: Large Transport

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-landing-without-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit

Synopsis

ACR ACFT LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative

WE WERE OPERATING A CARGO FLT FROM BARROW TO DEADHORSE; AK. THE TYPE OF ACFT WAS AN LGT. APPROX 75 MI OUT OF DEADHORSE; ANCHORAGE CTR CLRED US TO DSND TO 3000 FT AND WHEN AIRFIELD IN SIGHT; CONTACT DEADHORSE FSS. (DEADHORSE TWR IS NOT ATTENDED AT NIGHT). WE DSNDED TO VISUAL CONDITIONS AND HAD AN AIRFIELD IN SIGHT; WITH ALL SEEMING NORMAL ON SHORT FINAL EXCEPT THE LOC AND GS WHICH IDENTED CORRECTLY WERE GIVING ERRATIC INDICATIONS. THE VOR/DME WAS INDICATING 2 MI AND SLIGHTLY L OF THE INBOUND COURSE. AT THIS TIME I RECONFIRMED THAT THE FREQS SELECTED WERE CORRECT; WHICH THEY WERE. THE CAPT ELECTED TO CONTINUE AND LAND. ON ROLL OUT WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE AT THE WRONG FIELD; BUT NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS (IT WAS FULLY LIGHTED BUT NOT ATTENDED AT NIGHT). AFTER FAILING TO CONTACT ANYONE THERE; WE TAXIED BACK; TOOK OFF AND LANDED AT DEADHORSE WHICH WAS APPROX 3 MI AWAY. AFTER LNDG; THE CAPT CONTACTED OIL OFFICIALS AT PRUDHOE; DEADHORSE FSS AND OUR COMPANY'S CHIEF PLT. IN MY OPINION; THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY LACK OF INFO ON THE PRUDHOE FIELD; IE SAME RWY ALIGNMENT; FULLY LIGHTED BUT UNATTENDED; AND THE VISUAL SIMILARITY OF IT AND DEADHORSE. I SUGGEST THAT BOTH COMMERCIAL AND DOD PUBLICATIONS MAKE NOTE OF THE SITUATION AND WARN PLTS OF THE SITUATION. NOTE: IN TALKING WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND FLY IN ALASKA; THEY TELL ME THAT 'IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.' ANOTHER SOURCE TOLD ME THAT THIS THE THIRD PART 121 CARRIER INCIDENT AT THIS FIELD.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.