Narrative:

Toward completion of first leg of IFR flight from carson city, nv, to cabo san lucas, aircraft was vectored ('for traffic') on 3 different headings just north of us/mexico border. Last vector was a 320 degree turn in a descent to cross the border toward tijuana (intended landing point). On handoff to tijuana approach, instructed to cross tij VOR at 5000' and enter left downwind for runway 27, which required passing over the runway. On turning left, after crossing the VOR, I spotted and began to set up to land on runway 26 at sdm, less than 1.5 mi to the north. At about 1700' MSL, turning base, I saw traffic ahead on final and called the tower (tij) to inquire. When they said there was no other landing traffic and I was not in sight, I quickly realized my error and immediately turned toward tij and out of the sdm air traffic area, overflying additional traffic on the left downwind for sdm's 26. I had become somewhat disoriented by the many vectors just prior to crossing the border. Also, I failed to keep tij in sight after crossing the VOR. The procedure of crossing tij so high puts a lot of attention on the need to get down quickly and knowing that sdm's filed is so close and also has an east/west runway should have made me more attentive to correct identify of these 2 adjacent airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG ARPT APCH.

Narrative: TOWARD COMPLETION OF FIRST LEG OF IFR FLT FROM CARSON CITY, NV, TO CABO SAN LUCAS, ACFT WAS VECTORED ('FOR TFC') ON 3 DIFFERENT HDGS JUST N OF US/MEXICO BORDER. LAST VECTOR WAS A 320 DEG TURN IN A DSCNT TO CROSS THE BORDER TOWARD TIJUANA (INTENDED LNDG POINT). ON HDOF TO TIJUANA APCH, INSTRUCTED TO CROSS TIJ VOR AT 5000' AND ENTER LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27, WHICH REQUIRED PASSING OVER THE RWY. ON TURNING LEFT, AFTER XING THE VOR, I SPOTTED AND BEGAN TO SET UP TO LAND ON RWY 26 AT SDM, LESS THAN 1.5 MI TO THE N. AT ABOUT 1700' MSL, TURNING BASE, I SAW TFC AHEAD ON FINAL AND CALLED THE TWR (TIJ) TO INQUIRE. WHEN THEY SAID THERE WAS NO OTHER LNDG TFC AND I WAS NOT IN SIGHT, I QUICKLY REALIZED MY ERROR AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD TIJ AND OUT OF THE SDM ATA, OVERFLYING ADDITIONAL TFC ON THE LEFT DOWNWIND FOR SDM'S 26. I HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED BY THE MANY VECTORS JUST PRIOR TO XING THE BORDER. ALSO, I FAILED TO KEEP TIJ IN SIGHT AFTER XING THE VOR. THE PROC OF XING TIJ SO HIGH PUTS A LOT OF ATTN ON THE NEED TO GET DOWN QUICKLY AND KNOWING THAT SDM'S FILED IS SO CLOSE AND ALSO HAS AN E/W RWY SHOULD HAVE MADE ME MORE ATTENTIVE TO CORRECT IDENT OF THESE 2 ADJACENT ARPTS.

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.