Gulfstream IV / G350 / G450
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 175; Flight Crew Total 12000; Flight Crew Type 400
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Airport
After dropping off revenue passengers at the end of an FAR Part 135 flight; the aircraft was repositioned with only the crew onboard under FAR Part 91. The flight was operated on an IFR flight plan. The conditions were night VMC. Just outside ZZZ VOR; ATC assigned us a heading for a downwind entry to a visual approach to Runway XX at ZZZ. Soon thereafter; we spotted the airport and reported it in sight. The aircraft was then cleared for a visual approach. Upon entering the base turn; we cancelled IFR with Approach. The Tower was closed at that time so we announced turning final for Runway XX on CTAF. Once we were established on final; it appeared that we were too high to make a safe landing on the short runway. (This was actually an optical illusion due to the smaller runway that we were approaching as compared to our intended destination). We elected to perform a go-around. We then re-entered the pattern for a second attempt. This time; the approach looked more normal even though it seemed we were still slightly high (optical illusion). Because our destination has a relatively short runway for our aircraft; we had previously briefed that we would land near the end of the runway with minimum flare; moderate braking; and maximum reverse thrust. That was exactly how the landing was made and we came to a stop on the runway. After we exited the runway; we realized that the ramp area was very small and looked different than what we would see at our planned destination. At this point; it became apparent that we had landed at the wrong airport. We checked the chart and realized that we had arrived at an airport which is roughly 4 NM from destination and has the same runway alignment. With VFR conditions in the area; we elected to depart VFR and then proceeded to ZZZ without further incident. Some of the factors that lead up to this occurrence are the following: Due to the late-night arrival into an area that was 2 hours ahead of the area where we started. I believe fatigue was a contributing factor. Due to bright runway lights at our original departure point and our intermediate stop; which made seeing the runway and surroundings difficult; we elected to leave the runway lights at what we supposed was ZZZ in the dim mode without the ALS or PAPI illuminated. I believe that if we had tried to turn up the runway lights and expected to see the ALS and PAPI and did not; we may have had a clue that there was a problem. The fact that ZZZ1 is so close to ZZZ and has the same runway alignment was definitely a contributing factor. The fact that the Tower was closed and we had cancelled service with ATC contributed to the situation as well.
G-IV First Officer reports landing at the wrong airport after a night repositioning flight. After determining that a mistake has been made the aircraft is repositioned to the correct airport. There was no Tower at the first airport and the destination airport Tower was closed.