NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC DURING A NIGHT OP WHEN A B737-300 FLT CREW DEVIATES FROM PROPER GLIDE PATH AND EXTENDED RWY CTRLINE DURING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1 AT MSY.

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ENRTE TO MSY; ATIS WAS LNDG RWY 28. APPROX 15 NM FROM ARPT; APCH TOLD US TO PLAN A VISUAL TO RWY 1. WE QUICKLY REBRIEFED AND RETUNED NAVAIDS. WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 1 AND TOLD TO FOLLOW ANOTHER CARRIER ON 5 MI FINAL. I SAW THE ACFT AND CONTINUED TO CIRCLE TO RWY 1. AS WE PASSED S; I LOST SIGHT OF THE FIELD. THE CAPT SAID HE HAD THE FIELD; SO I CONTINUED TO CIRCLE. AS I CONTINUED TURNING AT APPROX 5 DME; THE CAPT SAID HE WASN'T SURE HE HAD THE FIELD. I DSNDED TO 1300 FT MSL AND APPROX 4.5 DME AND PREPARED TO GO AROUND. TWR ASKED US IF WE STILL HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE CAPT REPLIED; 'WE LOST SIGHT OF THE FIELD.' TWR GAVE US A HDG OF 280 DEGS AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLB TO 2000 FT. AS WE REACHED 2000 FT; WE REACQUIRED THE RWY AND CALLED IT IN SIGHT. TWR RECLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 1. WE CONTINUED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THIS SAFETY RPT WAS FILED BECAUSE OF THE DEV R OF COURSE WHEN ON CIRCLING APCH TO RWY 1. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: STRONG WESTERLY WINDS OF APPROX 25 KTS AT 1500 FT PUSHED US E. SHOULD HAVE USED BETTER LANDMARKS/LIGHTS AS REFS TO POSITIVELY IDENT THE FIELD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE APCH. NO NAVAID AT THE FIELD. CORRECTIVE/PREVENTIVE ACTIONS: ENSURE IDENTING LANDMARKS OR LIGHTS CAN BE CONTINUOUSLY USED AS A REF BY BOTH PLTS THROUGHOUT A VISUAL APCH. SHOULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF REFING FMS DIRECTION TO ARPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 639657: DSNDING INTO MSY FROM E. FO PF; CAPT PLT MONITORING. WINDS AT FIELD OUT OF THE W 300 DEGS AT 11 KTS GUSTING TO 18 KTS. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1 AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS GIVEN TFC TO FOLLOW ON FINAL. WE CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND AS WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE SPOTTING THE TFC AGAINST BACKGND LIGHTS. WHEN WE DID SPOT TRAFFIC; IT WAS NO FACTOR. ON THE TURN IN; I ACQUIRED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE FIELD -- A DARK AREA AMONGST THE LIGHTS ABOUT WHERE I EXPECTED THE FIELD TO BE. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 2000 FT; STILL ON A DOG LEG; I NOTICED THE LOC WAS STILL NOT ALIVE. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT I STILL HAD THE FREQ AND COURSE FOR THE RWY 28 ILS DIALED IN. I CHKED THE FREQ AND COURSE TO BE CORRECT FOR RWY 1. AT ABOUT 1500 FT; I SAID 'LET'S NOT GO ANY LOWER;' AS I SAW THE DME SHOWING 6 MI. EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOTED THE CURVE IN THE RIVER JUST S OF THE FIELD WHILE ON DOWNWIND; I LOCKED ON TO ANOTHER DARK AREA IN THE LIGHTS WHEN WE TURNED IN -- ABOUT WHERE I EXPECTED THE FIELD TO BE. AN EARLIER XCHK OF THE INSTS WOULD HAVE RAISED AN ALARM SOONER. I SHOULD ALSO HAVE CONFIRMED ON THE TURN IN THAT THE FO WAS SURE HE HAD THE FIELD AS WELL.