CONFUSION WITHIN ATC WHEN VECTORED ACFT THOUGHT TO BE LNDG AT WRONG ARPT.

1995-05 · NASA ASRS report 303770

Date: 1995-05 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|other-unspecified

Synopsis

CONFUSION WITHIN ATC WHEN VECTORED ACFT THOUGHT TO BE LNDG AT WRONG ARPT.

Narrative

INBOUND TO OMA; ATIS RPTED INDEFINITE 200 FT; 1/8 MI VISIBILITY; RVR 600/700; FOG. OMA APCH ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I REQUESTED HOLDING AND A SPD REDUCTION. WHILE HOLDING NW ON OMA 320 DEG RADIAL BTWN 10-20 DME; NOTICED EVERYTHING FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER N AND W OF OMAHA IN THE CLR; AS WELL AS MOST OF THE CITY. NOTICED ON MY ENRTE CHART K46; EAGLE ARPT. WHILE STILL IN HOLD IN VMC; NOTICED ARPT TO MY L AND AHEAD WHILE ON OUTBOUND LEG. ARPT WAS IN THE CLR. I ASKED ATC TO IDENT ARPT TO MY L. ATC RESPONDED NORTH OMAHA ARPT. I ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET A VISUAL OR A CONTACT APCH TO THERE. ATC VECTORED ME ONTO A 270 DEG HDG; THEN DIRECTED MY DSCNT. I COMPLIED. DSNDING THROUGH 5000 FT ATC VECTORED ME BACK AROUND; SAYING; 'ARPT 12 O'CLOCK; 6 MI. RPT IT IN SIGHT FOR VISUAL.' ATC ALSO GAVE CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS. I RPTED THE ARPT I HAD IDENTED WHILE HOLDING AT 7000 IN SIGHT. WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND ASKED IF I WANTED TO CANCEL IFR. I CANCELED; AND WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200 AND TURN TO ADVISORY FREQ. I COMPLIED AND CONTINUED PAST ARPT; WHILE KEEPING IT IN SIGHT FOR FURTHER AIRSPD AND ALT REDUCTION; AS WELL AS TIME TO COMPLETE BEFORE LNDG CHKS. I PROCEEDED TO LAND. A COMMUTER AIRLINER STILL HOLDING FOR OMA CAME UP ON ADVISORY. HE SAID; 'ATC SAYS YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE LINED UP TO LAND AT EAGLE; NOT NORTH OMAHA.' I SAID; 'WE'RE ALREADY ON THE GND...IS THERE A PROB?' HE SAID; 'NO; OMA APCH JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU WERE DOWN; BUT THOUGHT YOU WERE LNDG AT NORTH OMAHA.' I RESPONDED; 'WE ARE DOWN AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORTH OMAHA' (BY ATC IN THE AIR). 5 MINS AFTER PARKING ACFT; A GENTLEMAN APCHED ME AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS THE ARPT MGR; PROCEEDED TO CALL OMA APCH CTL TO CONFIRM I WAS; IN FACT; DOWN AT EAGLE. I PROCEEDED TO CALL OMA APCH CTL BACK TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY PROBS. THEY SAID; 'NO;' AND SAID THE COMMUTER AIRLINER HADN'T RELAYED MY MESSAGE. I BELIEVE THE MISCOM BTWN ARPT I WISHED TO PROCEED TO AND THE ONE OMA APCH IDENTED AS THE ONE THEY THOUGHT I WISHED TO PROCEED TO WAS THE PROB; AND THEREFORE I ENDED UP LNDG AT THE CORRECT ARPT AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED YET CALLING IT THE WRONG NAME AS INSTRUCTED BY ATC; AS THEY THOUGHT I HAD IDENTED NORTH OMAHA INSTEAD OF EAGLE.

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

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