Narrative:

I inadvertently landed at camarillo airport, ca (cma) without tower clearance. I was unaware that cma was a controled field based on a check of NOTAMS with FGS, the current WAC chart and commercial association's 1990 airport directory. Flight was from mid valley, NM (E98) to camarillo, ca on feb/mon/90. Preflight included: commercial association's 1990 airport directory. No control tower indicated, just unicom on 122.8. WAC chart (cg-18), exp may 90 indicates camarillo report as an uncontrolled field. WX briefing with abq FSS included a check of NOTAMS for cma. No mention was made of the recently installed FAA control tower. Unaware that cma had a control tower, I used procedures typical for any uncontrolled field. I called for traffic advisories approximately 5 mi out on 122.8. No response was received. Flew over cma at 1500' AGL and observed wind sock. Entered left downwind for runway 26. There was no observed traffic in the pattern. I landed on runway 26 without incident. How to prevent recurrence: NOTAMS should be provided to pilots via FSS on status of airports with newly installed towers as long as WAC and sectional charts show incorrect status of airfield. Also, wacs and sectionals should warn pilots of airports which are due to change status in the near future.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LANDED WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION AT ARPT WHERE TWR HAD BEEN COMMISSIONED ONLY RECENTLY.

Narrative: I INADVERTENTLY LANDED AT CAMARILLO ARPT, CA (CMA) WITHOUT TWR CLRNC. I WAS UNAWARE THAT CMA WAS A CTLED FIELD BASED ON A CHECK OF NOTAMS WITH FGS, THE CURRENT WAC CHART AND COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION'S 1990 ARPT DIRECTORY. FLT WAS FROM MID VALLEY, NM (E98) TO CAMARILLO, CA ON FEB/MON/90. PREFLT INCLUDED: COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION'S 1990 ARPT DIRECTORY. NO CTL TWR INDICATED, JUST UNICOM ON 122.8. WAC CHART (CG-18), EXP MAY 90 INDICATES CAMARILLO RPT AS AN UNCTLED FIELD. WX BRIEFING WITH ABQ FSS INCLUDED A CHECK OF NOTAMS FOR CMA. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE RECENTLY INSTALLED FAA CTL TWR. UNAWARE THAT CMA HAD A CTL TWR, I USED PROCS TYPICAL FOR ANY UNCTLED FIELD. I CALLED FOR TFC ADVISORIES APPROX 5 MI OUT ON 122.8. NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED. FLEW OVER CMA AT 1500' AGL AND OBSERVED WIND SOCK. ENTERED LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26. THERE WAS NO OBSERVED TFC IN THE PATTERN. I LANDED ON RWY 26 WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOW TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: NOTAMS SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO PLTS VIA FSS ON STATUS OF ARPTS WITH NEWLY INSTALLED TWRS AS LONG AS WAC AND SECTIONAL CHARTS SHOW INCORRECT STATUS OF AIRFIELD. ALSO, WACS AND SECTIONALS SHOULD WARN PLTS OF ARPTS WHICH ARE DUE TO CHANGE STATUS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

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.