As a controller, it has hapened to me at least three times that I can remember.
Circa 1990 a KC135 on approach to rwy 30 at Alconbury, actually lined up to rwy 27 at Wyton. The ac broke off the approach at about 1nm quick left turn over the SE part of the airfield and then a quick right turn onto final approach rwy 30 at Alconbury.
Second and third times occurred in more recent years when 2 separate GA ac mis-idented a large mil base south of a prominent geographical feature for a mid-sized ex-mil airfield to the north of said prominent geographical feature. Both ac broke of the approach on finals and with no RT transmissions departed to land where they should have.
I expect that it is a lot more common that we might think.
Last edited by rej; 22nd Feb 2006 at 20:18.