Pilot of light aircraft lands at wrong airport, inadvertently enters the lax TCA.

Attributes
ACN	120950
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	120950
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight departed from brackett field (la verre) climb to 2000'. Attempt was made to contact la approach (denied). Flight was continued direct via NDB to compton. At compton, or thought to be compton, a right turn was made towards destination hawthorne following la VOR 113.6. With the turn, hawthorne 118.2 (tower closed) was tuned in and the microphone keyed to turn lights on to aid in airport location. Also I was looking for the tower rotating beacon. I expected to see hawthorne quickly and when not visualized I began scanning horizon and made a further right turn to aid in locating beacon. In my anticipation of locating hawthorne and to prepare for tpa entry I descended to 1500' MSL. At this time I got disoriented, circled left then right. A beacon was spotted to my relief. Anticipating it was hawthorne, I entered a standard lefthand pattern. My impression was that I either was at hawthorne or south of hawthorne. Upon final approach, the runway was 21. I knew hawthorne to be 25. I pulled up to the FBO and the line person said I just landed at santa monica.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LIGHT ACFT LANDS AT WRONG ARPT, INADVERTENTLY ENTERS THE LAX TCA.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED FROM BRACKETT FIELD (LA VERRE) CLIMB TO 2000'. ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CONTACT LA APCH (DENIED). FLT WAS CONTINUED DIRECT VIA NDB TO COMPTON. AT COMPTON, OR THOUGHT TO BE COMPTON, A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE TOWARDS DEST HAWTHORNE FOLLOWING LA VOR 113.6. WITH THE TURN, HAWTHORNE 118.2 (TWR CLOSED) WAS TUNED IN AND THE MIKE KEYED TO TURN LIGHTS ON TO AID IN ARPT LOCATION. ALSO I WAS LOOKING FOR THE TWR ROTATING BEACON. I EXPECTED TO SEE HAWTHORNE QUICKLY AND WHEN NOT VISUALIZED I BEGAN SCANNING HORIZON AND MADE A FURTHER RIGHT TURN TO AID IN LOCATING BEACON. IN MY ANTICIPATION OF LOCATING HAWTHORNE AND TO PREPARE FOR TPA ENTRY I DESCENDED TO 1500' MSL. AT THIS TIME I GOT DISORIENTED, CIRCLED LEFT THEN RIGHT. A BEACON WAS SPOTTED TO MY RELIEF. ANTICIPATING IT WAS HAWTHORNE, I ENTERED A STANDARD LEFTHAND PATTERN. MY IMPRESSION WAS THAT I EITHER WAS AT HAWTHORNE OR S OF HAWTHORNE. UPON FINAL APCH, THE RWY WAS 21. I KNEW HAWTHORNE TO BE 25. I PULLED UP TO THE FBO AND THE LINE PERSON SAID I JUST LANDED AT SANTA MONICA.

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.