Narrative:

I was receiving radar vectors to west 96 and was requested to report the field when in sight. On the last vector I was given I spotted a field directly ahead approximately 10 mi which I believed to be west 96. I told the controller I had the field in sight and was told frequency change was approved and to squawk 1200. I changed frequency and squawked 1200. I called west 96 unicom repeatedly on frequency instructed by this controller requesting airport advisory west/O response. As I came up on the field, at 1000' and within 1-2 mi of the runway (25, I believe. West 96 has runway 28) I realized I was approaching richmond and not west 96. After looking for traffic, I immediately turned heading 90 degrees and changed radio frequency to richmond approach again. Approach called me and I believe they asked me if I wanted to come into richmond. I said no, and continued and landed at west 96. On takeoff I again contacted richmond approach for radar advisory services as I resumed my flight plan to the south. I was deviating from my flight plan as I announced ot approach that I needed to make a pit stop. I was following ATC radar vectors and believe the problem would not have arisen if ATC had not terminated service when I first reported the field in sight, particularly since I was on a vector directly pointed toward richmond at that point. Suggest ATC follow planes further in before terminating radar service to avoid any similar problem in the future. Supplemental information from acn 137164: while working local control I was advised by approach control that a VFR aircraft appeared to be tracking inbound to ric. The aircraft appeared to be on final for runway 25. I issued alternate landing instructions to an light transport on an intersecting runway to avoid a conflict at the intersection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON RADAR VECTORS IDENTIFIES WRONG ARPT AND BEGINS APCH. NO TWR CONTACT. TWR DIVERTS SECOND ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO W 96 AND WAS REQUESTED TO RPT THE FIELD WHEN IN SIGHT. ON THE LAST VECTOR I WAS GIVEN I SPOTTED A FIELD DIRECTLY AHEAD APPROX 10 MI WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE W 96. I TOLD THE CTLR I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD FREQ CHANGE WAS APPROVED AND TO SQUAWK 1200. I CHANGED FREQ AND SQUAWKED 1200. I CALLED W 96 UNICOM REPEATEDLY ON FREQ INSTRUCTED BY THIS CTLR REQUESTING ARPT ADVISORY W/O RESPONSE. AS I CAME UP ON THE FIELD, AT 1000' AND WITHIN 1-2 MI OF THE RWY (25, I BELIEVE. W 96 HAS RWY 28) I REALIZED I WAS APCHING RICHMOND AND NOT W 96. AFTER LOOKING FOR TFC, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED HDG 90 DEGS AND CHANGED RADIO FREQ TO RICHMOND APCH AGAIN. APCH CALLED ME AND I BELIEVE THEY ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO COME INTO RICHMOND. I SAID NO, AND CONTINUED AND LANDED AT W 96. ON TKOF I AGAIN CONTACTED RICHMOND APCH FOR RADAR ADVISORY SVCS AS I RESUMED MY FLT PLAN TO THE S. I WAS DEVIATING FROM MY FLT PLAN AS I ANNOUNCED OT APCH THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE A PIT STOP. I WAS FOLLOWING ATC RADAR VECTORS AND BELIEVE THE PROB WOULD NOT HAVE ARISEN IF ATC HAD NOT TERMINATED SVC WHEN I FIRST RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT, PARTICULARLY SINCE I WAS ON A VECTOR DIRECTLY POINTED TOWARD RICHMOND AT THAT POINT. SUGGEST ATC FOLLOW PLANES FURTHER IN BEFORE TERMINATING RADAR SVC TO AVOID ANY SIMILAR PROB IN THE FUTURE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 137164: WHILE WORKING LCL CTL I WAS ADVISED BY APCH CTL THAT A VFR ACFT APPEARED TO BE TRACKING INBND TO RIC. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE ON FINAL FOR RWY 25. I ISSUED ALTERNATE LNDG INSTRUCTIONS TO AN LTT ON AN INTERSECTING RWY TO AVOID A CONFLICT AT THE INTXN.

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.