Narrative:

This was only my third instructional flight in the area. The student and I were practicing ground reference maneuvers at 1000' west of the said airports/ upon completion of the lesson, I asked the student if he could point to the airport. To my surprise he pointed slightly northeast at what appeared to be fort pierce airport. I confirmed his answer and told him to proceed to the airport. At approximately 6 NM, I called ft pierce tower and reported being '6 mi west, inbound for touch and go's.' they responded by telling us to enter a right downwind for 14. By this time, we were approaching the airport from due west, and made the directions for a right downwind somewhat unusually. After approaching to within what I thought was fpr, tower asked where we were. I responded that we were on right downwind to runway 14. They replied that we were not insight, but to proceed. Due to our unusual approach path, our pattern had become somewhat distorted. When we were about to turn a modified base leg, I began to question the runway layout. However, due to my unfamiliarity with the airport, combined with the fact that both airports are next to a major highway to the south, and the fact that both airport had construction underway on their e-w runways, I proceeded to turn to turn a base leg. As per the diagram, the student had distorted or combined the base into a final leg. At this time, fpr tower said, in effect, 'where are you? Perhaps a landing light would help...you might be at vero beach.' this statement, in addition to my growing apprehension, made me realize that we were indeed lining up for vrb runway 11. I initiated an immediate right-hand turn to the west. Fpr tower asked our intentions and I responded that we were 'going west to do more airwork,' and would call them on the way back in.' they suggested that I contact vrb tower on 126.1. I said that we were west of I95, and would call them on the way back in. We were west for a while and practiced maneuvers. Upon completion, we proceeded uneventfully to fpr. Decisions: I should not have decided to proceed after initial questions arose. I should not have allowed the student to make such a distorted pattern as to interfere with my identify of the airport. Actions: I think that immediate exiting of the violated airspace was the best course of action. Factors: my general frustration associated with flight instructing with this company led to an impartial supervision of the lesson, which led to my disorientation during the lesson. My psyche that does not want to believe that I have made a mistake. Exhaustion could not have helped my judgement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED CFI UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA LINES UP FOR APCH TO VRB INSTEAD OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION, FPR, DURING A TRAINING FLT.

Narrative: THIS WAS ONLY MY THIRD INSTRUCTIONAL FLT IN THE AREA. THE STUDENT AND I WERE PRACTICING GND REF MANEUVERS AT 1000' W OF THE SAID ARPTS/ UPON COMPLETION OF THE LESSON, I ASKED THE STUDENT IF HE COULD POINT TO THE ARPT. TO MY SURPRISE HE POINTED SLIGHTLY NE AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE FORT PIERCE ARPT. I CONFIRMED HIS ANSWER AND TOLD HIM TO PROCEED TO THE ARPT. AT APPROX 6 NM, I CALLED FT PIERCE TWR AND RPTED BEING '6 MI W, INBND FOR TOUCH AND GO'S.' THEY RESPONDED BY TELLING US TO ENTER A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR 14. BY THIS TIME, WE WERE APCHING THE ARPT FROM DUE W, AND MADE THE DIRECTIONS FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND SOMEWHAT UNUSUALLY. AFTER APCHING TO WITHIN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS FPR, TWR ASKED WHERE WE WERE. I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE ON RIGHT DOWNWIND TO RWY 14. THEY REPLIED THAT WE WERE NOT INSIGHT, BUT TO PROCEED. DUE TO OUR UNUSUAL APCH PATH, OUR PATTERN HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT DISTORTED. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT TO TURN A MODIFIED BASE LEG, I BEGAN TO QUESTION THE RWY LAYOUT. HOWEVER, DUE TO MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT, COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT BOTH ARPTS ARE NEXT TO A MAJOR HWY TO THE S, AND THE FACT THAT BOTH ARPT HAD CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY ON THEIR E-W RWYS, I PROCEEDED TO TURN TO TURN A BASE LEG. AS PER THE DIAGRAM, THE STUDENT HAD DISTORTED OR COMBINED THE BASE INTO A FINAL LEG. AT THIS TIME, FPR TWR SAID, IN EFFECT, 'WHERE ARE YOU? PERHAPS A LNDG LIGHT WOULD HELP...YOU MIGHT BE AT VERO BEACH.' THIS STATEMENT, IN ADDITION TO MY GROWING APPREHENSION, MADE ME REALIZE THAT WE WERE INDEED LINING UP FOR VRB RWY 11. I INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT-HAND TURN TO THE W. FPR TWR ASKED OUR INTENTIONS AND I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE 'GOING W TO DO MORE AIRWORK,' AND WOULD CALL THEM ON THE WAY BACK IN.' THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT VRB TWR ON 126.1. I SAID THAT WE WERE W OF I95, AND WOULD CALL THEM ON THE WAY BACK IN. WE WERE W FOR A WHILE AND PRACTICED MANEUVERS. UPON COMPLETION, WE PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY TO FPR. DECISIONS: I SHOULD NOT HAVE DECIDED TO PROCEED AFTER INITIAL QUESTIONS AROSE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO MAKE SUCH A DISTORTED PATTERN AS TO INTERFERE WITH MY IDENT OF THE ARPT. ACTIONS: I THINK THAT IMMEDIATE EXITING OF THE VIOLATED AIRSPACE WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. FACTORS: MY GENERAL FRUSTRATION ASSOCIATED WITH FLT INSTRUCTING WITH THIS COMPANY LED TO AN IMPARTIAL SUPERVISION OF THE LESSON, WHICH LED TO MY DISORIENTATION DURING THE LESSON. MY PSYCHE THAT DOES NOT WANT TO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE MADE A MISTAKE. EXHAUSTION COULD NOT HAVE HELPED MY JUDGEMENT.

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.