Narrative:

The flight originated in vny with a stop to pick up a passenger at emt en route to myf. A preflight WX briefing was obtained with the only predicted WX being scattered clouds along the coast at 1500-2500'. A VFR flight plan was filed with hawthorne FSS. Upon leaving emt we were unable to get clearance into the ont arsa ('stand by and remain clear') as ont was very busy at that time, so we flew southeast at 2500' MSL to the prado intersection of pdz 256 degree right and pom 164 degree right, then circled climbing to 5500' MSL and flew south via pom 164 degree right to the coast where we had to climb to 7500' MSL to avoid scattered clouds at about 6000' MSL. We then flew southeast and descended back down to 5500' MSL at the oceanside VOR and obtained ATIS, then contacted san approach for transition through the TCA VFR corridor en route to myf. We were 'cleared through the TCA' with instructions to exit the TCA above 2500' (we were at 3500' MSL by the time we got to the corridor). We stayed about 2500' until on shore (out of the corridor) and were handed off to myf tower who instructed us for left traffic runway 28L. At this point NAS miramar caught my eye and I mistook it for myf and lined up for (I now know) miramar runway 26L. I believe that I actually entered the TCA before myf tower noticed that I was lined up on the wrong airfield, but this was never confirmed. I am grateful that my friend saw my mistake. This error happened because I failed to spend sufficient time studying the navigation log which I had written 2 months prior (but never had flown). Lesson learned!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTERED SAN TCA AND NKX ATA.

Narrative: THE FLT ORIGINATED IN VNY WITH A STOP TO PICK UP A PAX AT EMT ENRTE TO MYF. A PREFLT WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED WITH THE ONLY PREDICTED WX BEING SCATTERED CLOUDS ALONG THE COAST AT 1500-2500'. A VFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED WITH HAWTHORNE FSS. UPON LEAVING EMT WE WERE UNABLE TO GET CLRNC INTO THE ONT ARSA ('STAND BY AND REMAIN CLR') AS ONT WAS VERY BUSY AT THAT TIME, SO WE FLEW SE AT 2500' MSL TO THE PRADO INTXN OF PDZ 256 DEG R AND POM 164 DEG R, THEN CIRCLED CLBING TO 5500' MSL AND FLEW S VIA POM 164 DEG R TO THE COAST WHERE WE HAD TO CLB TO 7500' MSL TO AVOID SCATTERED CLOUDS AT ABOUT 6000' MSL. WE THEN FLEW SE AND DSNDED BACK DOWN TO 5500' MSL AT THE OCEANSIDE VOR AND OBTAINED ATIS, THEN CONTACTED SAN APCH FOR TRANSITION THROUGH THE TCA VFR CORRIDOR ENRTE TO MYF. WE WERE 'CLRED THROUGH THE TCA' WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO EXIT THE TCA ABOVE 2500' (WE WERE AT 3500' MSL BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE CORRIDOR). WE STAYED ABOUT 2500' UNTIL ON SHORE (OUT OF THE CORRIDOR) AND WERE HANDED OFF TO MYF TWR WHO INSTRUCTED US FOR LEFT TFC RWY 28L. AT THIS POINT NAS MIRAMAR CAUGHT MY EYE AND I MISTOOK IT FOR MYF AND LINED UP FOR (I NOW KNOW) MIRAMAR RWY 26L. I BELIEVE THAT I ACTUALLY ENTERED THE TCA BEFORE MYF TWR NOTICED THAT I WAS LINED UP ON THE WRONG AIRFIELD, BUT THIS WAS NEVER CONFIRMED. I AM GRATEFUL THAT MY FRIEND SAW MY MISTAKE. THIS ERROR HAPPENED BECAUSE I FAILED TO SPEND SUFFICIENT TIME STUDYING THE NAV LOG WHICH I HAD WRITTEN 2 MONTHS PRIOR (BUT NEVER HAD FLOWN). LESSON LEARNED!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.