FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT WERE MAKING A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT UNTIL ATC CTLR INTERVENED.
Synopsis
FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT WERE MAKING A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT UNTIL ATC CTLR INTERVENED.
Narrative
IFR FLT DTW TO KALAMAZOO; MI; BATTLE CREEK INTL ARPT; KALAMAZOO VOR TUNED AND PROCEEDING DIRECT TO KALAMAZOO. WE WERE HELD AT 12000 FT 28 MI FROM THE ARPT AT 25 MI. WE WERE CLRED TO 9000 FT; HAD AN ARPT IN SIGHT THAT LOOKED LIKE KALAMAZOO BATTLE CREEK INTL. CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT AT 12:30 - 1 O'CLOCK POS. WE LOOKED AND SAID WE DID. CLRED US TO 3000 FT. NOW 15 MI FROM ARPT AT 9000 FT; PULLED SPD BRAKES TO GET THE ACFT DOWN. IN OUR HASTE TO GET THE ACFT DOWN AND INTO THE ARPT PATTERN WE HAD PICKED OUT BATTLE CREEK MICHIGAN KELLOGG ARPT. APCH HAD CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. I HAD THE ILS SET ON MY SIDE; THE FO HAD THE KALAMAZOO VOR TUNED AND WE WERE SHOWING 9 MI FROM THE ARPT; TURNING A LONG DOWNWIND BASE TO FINAL APCH FOR RWY 35 KALAMAZOO. AT THIS TIME ATC CALLED AND SAID MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN YOU ARE AT THE BATTLE CREEK MICHIGAN KELLOGG ARPT; MAINTAIN 3000 FT; TURN R AND HE THEN PROCEEDED TO GIVE US RADAR VECTORS TO THE KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN BATTLE CREEK INTL ARPT. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER PROB. ALL I CAN SAY IS WE HAD THE KALAMAZOO VOR TUNED AND IN OUR HASTE TO GET DOWN AND SLOW DOWN AND NOT OVERFLY THE ARPT; WE FORGOT TO LOOK AT THE VOR NEEDLES AND SEE WHICH WAY THEY WERE POINTING.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.