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GA-small aircraft wrong airport approach results in close proximity with unk-military aircraft climbing out.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 136183 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : nkx |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : nkx |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Military Transport |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 136183 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : military |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were on our way to san diego montgomery field from vny at 4500'. At oceanside I contacted san approach and asked for radar service and clearance through the san TCA. I was told to maintain 2500' through the TCA. Approximately 2 mi north of mission bay, I asked for a left turn to see the airport, and ATC replied 'squawk 1200, frequency change approved.' I looked to my left and saw what I thought was montgomery, so I proceeded directly to the airport. About 3 mi from the airport I saw some lights cross the end of the runway, north to south. He climbed almost straight up and circled around and came straight at me, about 2 O'clock. I tried to dodge him by turning left and descending, but he stayed on me and flew over the top of my aircraft. At this point I realized I was at the wrong airport. I cleaned the airport up and made a right 180 degree turn. I then found montgomery and landed. Some of the factors that contributed to this situation were my unfamiliarity with the area, and the lack of help from ATC. Also, at night montgomery and miramar look alike. This incident could have been avoided if I had idented montgomery in some electronic way; i.e., localizer, NDB, VOR, rotating beacon, etc. ATC could have prevented this by verifying I had montgomery in sight before handing me off, or pointing out that miramar was to my left and to be cautious, or saying montgomery is 11 O'clock and 4 mi, be advised miramar is 9 O'clock at 3 mi.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA-SMA WRONG ARPT APCH RESULTS IN CLOSE PROX WITH UNK-MIL ACFT CLIMBING OUT.
Narrative: WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO SAN DIEGO MONTGOMERY FIELD FROM VNY AT 4500'. AT OCEANSIDE I CONTACTED SAN APCH AND ASKED FOR RADAR SVC AND CLRNC THROUGH THE SAN TCA. I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 2500' THROUGH THE TCA. APPROX 2 MI N OF MISSION BAY, I ASKED FOR A LEFT TURN TO SEE THE ARPT, AND ATC REPLIED 'SQUAWK 1200, FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' I LOOKED TO MY LEFT AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MONTGOMERY, SO I PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE ARPT I SAW SOME LIGHTS CROSS THE END OF THE RWY, N TO S. HE CLBED ALMOST STRAIGHT UP AND CIRCLED AROUND AND CAME STRAIGHT AT ME, ABOUT 2 O'CLOCK. I TRIED TO DODGE HIM BY TURNING LEFT AND DSNDING, BUT HE STAYED ON ME AND FLEW OVER THE TOP OF MY ACFT. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. I CLEANED THE ARPT UP AND MADE A RIGHT 180 DEG TURN. I THEN FOUND MONTGOMERY AND LANDED. SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION WERE MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA, AND THE LACK OF HELP FROM ATC. ALSO, AT NIGHT MONTGOMERY AND MIRAMAR LOOK ALIKE. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD IDENTED MONTGOMERY IN SOME ELECTRONIC WAY; I.E., LOC, NDB, VOR, ROTATING BEACON, ETC. ATC COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS BY VERIFYING I HAD MONTGOMERY IN SIGHT BEFORE HANDING ME OFF, OR POINTING OUT THAT MIRAMAR WAS TO MY LEFT AND TO BE CAUTIOUS, OR SAYING MONTGOMERY IS 11 O'CLOCK AND 4 MI, BE ADVISED MIRAMAR IS 9 O'CLOCK AT 3 MI.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.