Pilot of small aircraft became disoriented during night flight and began approach to wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	141904
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : geg airport : sff
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	141900
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On x-country flight from pdx, descended from 11500' to 3500' to enter geg arsa. Was navigating direct to geg VOR. Geg approach requested turn to a heading right of course. Complied with. After continuing on heading for an estimated 5-8 mins, approach advised. Resume normal navigation direct sff. Being low as generally requested for geg arsa, I became disorientated with lights at low level. I mistook geg for sff and started to line up accordingly. Problem could have been avoided had approach indicated approximately distance to sff after radar vector when turning me back to resume normal navigation. Higher altitude, not normally available to private aircraft in the arsa, would have helped also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA BECAME DISORIENTED DURING NIGHT FLT AND BEGAN APCH TO WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: ON X-COUNTRY FLT FROM PDX, DSNDED FROM 11500' TO 3500' TO ENTER GEG ARSA. WAS NAVIGATING DIRECT TO GEG VOR. GEG APCH REQUESTED TURN TO A HDG RIGHT OF COURSE. COMPLIED WITH. AFTER CONTINUING ON HDG FOR AN ESTIMATED 5-8 MINS, APCH ADVISED. RESUME NORMAL NAV DIRECT SFF. BEING LOW AS GENERALLY REQUESTED FOR GEG ARSA, I BECAME DISORIENTATED WITH LIGHTS AT LOW LEVEL. I MISTOOK GEG FOR SFF AND STARTED TO LINE UP ACCORDINGLY. PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD APCH INDICATED APPROX DISTANCE TO SFF AFTER RADAR VECTOR WHEN TURNING ME BACK TO RESUME NORMAL NAV. HIGHER ALT, NOT NORMALLY AVAILABLE TO PVT ACFT IN THE ARSA, WOULD HAVE HELPED ALSO.

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.