I experienced something similar once.
In the late 1970s, while I was maintaining comms & nav aids at Taif airport (among others) there was an Islamic Heads of State conference. This involved closing the main Jeddah to Riyadh highway where it passed the airport.
I was sitting sipping tea and having a fag with the local controller when the Sudanese president's flight called up to inform Taif that the president wanted a sight seeing tour around the Jeddah area before heading for Taif.
Eventually, he showed up in the area and was given clearance to land on runway 25.
When the pilot reported established on the approach, the controller looked out of the window. "Kelvin, I can't see him. Can you?"
No.
He called the flight and asked for confirmation and was given an assurance the flight was indeed on approach to the runway. Oh no he wasn't! After searching the sky to the east, I happened to turn slightly in my seat.
The flight was established on approach all right. On approach to the main Riyadh road, about .75 of a mile south of the runway!