Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 13700; Flight Crew Type 2300
Time Pressure; Distraction; Confusion; Troubleshooting
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Weather; Procedure
As we approached FTY; we descended through the clouds remaining after cold front passage in the Atlanta area. We were maneuvering for the GPS approach to Runway 26 approach at FTY. I; as pilot not flying; set the GPS approach in the RNAV box. We were vectored to the downwind for the approach. As we descended out of the clouds; visibility was 3 to 5 miles with rain shafts in the area. We observed an airport with an east/west runway at our 3 o'clock position. It looked good to us; so we told Atlanta Approach we had the airport in sight. We were cleared for the visual to FTY.I then pushed the 'activate approach' button on the FMS. This put the final approach path on the MFD screen. The pilot flying said he would rather have the 'direct to the airport' displayed on the FMS instead of the approach. As my head was down reprogramming the box; the ground proximity started calling we were too low. Meanwhile; the pilot flying was maneuvering for the visual approach to the runway we thought was 26 at FTY. At about the same time; I observed the red light coming from the Tower (and the Tower was in the wrong place for FTY); County Tower called us and told us we were lined up on Dobbs Air Force base; and we saw 28 painted on the runway. We executed a go-around and proceeded; uneventfully and in VFR conditions to FTY (8 miles away) and landed without further issues.I thanked the FTY Tower profusely for the 'catch' and offered apologies to both FTY Tower and Dobbs Tower for our miss cue.Several issues: Although VFR; we made the quick transition from IFR to visual conditions and saw an airport that 'looked like' our intended destination. Ground proximity was talking to us and we didn't catch what it was trying to say. Changing the programming of the FMS twice in a very short time while maneuvering for landing took one set of eyes (and a head) out of the operation of the airplane. Atlanta Approach taking our call for visual and missing Dobbs was between us and our intended destination. Reprogramming the box twice in a short time taking one set of eyes out of the visual landing process. Not proceeding with the instrument approach even in VFR conditions considering the marginal weather and our quick transition to VFR.
At approximately 3;000 FT MSL; we were below all but a few pieces of lingering clouds. Pilot not flying was entering GPS approach into FMS when I told him that looked like our airport at about 1 o'clock (maybe 4 miles) as we were on heading of 180 from Atlanta Approach. Pilot not flying agreed that looked like our airport. He told ATC we had airport in sight. Controller cleared us for visual approach. We adjusted course for right base for west runway; prepared aircraft for landing. Approach gave us to FTY Tower; and we were cleared to land prior to turning final. (No mention of 'not in sight') Things had happened fast since being cleared for visual approach; but never felt rushed. Completed turn to final at about 600 FT and about 1 1/2 miles from runway with aircraft fully configured and Before Landing Checklist completed. As GPWS was announcing 'Too low; Terrain;' our error was recognized by myself; pilot not flying and FTY Tower at the same time. I saw runway 29 instead of Runway 26; pilot not flying noticed MGE Tower showing flashing red light. FTY Tower advised it looked as if we were lined up at Dobbins and suggested we climb straight ahead; which is when our missed approach was executed. We proceeded 8 miles south and landed FTY uneventfully; thanking FTY Tower for the 'catch.'Lots of contributing factors; initial failure to identify airport as MGE; we had viewed airport charts. [We] should have recognized no intersecting runway at MGE; unlike FTY. Pilot not flying had put GPS approach for Runway 26 at FTY on MFD--my preference is to have destination airport for visual approaches since it provides azimuth; distance; and TTG. This time I did not have FTY arrival time correlated in my mind with imminent arrival time for misidentified airport. A disappointing performance to say the least. Especially in light of recent events by others. I certainly do not expect this to happen again!
A Corporate crew lined up on MGE Runway 29 while intending to land at FTY's Runway 26 and were alerted by ATC using a red light and radio about the impending error just as the GPWS was alerting at 600 FT eight miles from the runway.