GA small aircraft wrong airport approach unauthorized penetration of rca air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	158305
Time
Date	199009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rap
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rap tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	158305
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was descending for landing in rapid city. The controller asked if I had the airport in sight. I said no. He told me to continue, then he asked again. This time I saw what I thought was an airport. I said I had the airport at 11 O'clock and 10 mi. He said the airport was 10:30 and 15 mi, so there was the first confusion. I saw the military airport, not rapid city. He told me to stay with him, and he vectored me to the approach end of the airport and cleared me for the approach. Well I had seen the airport all along, so I started to descend for the runway and I was told to go missed, and that I was on final for the military airport. Both airports had approximately the same runways. They were about 6 mi apart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG ARPT APCH UNAUTH PENETRATION OF RCA ATA.

Narrative: I WAS DSNDING FOR LNDG IN RAPID CITY. THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I SAID NO. HE TOLD ME TO CONTINUE, THEN HE ASKED AGAIN. THIS TIME I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN ARPT. I SAID I HAD THE ARPT AT 11 O'CLOCK AND 10 MI. HE SAID THE ARPT WAS 10:30 AND 15 MI, SO THERE WAS THE FIRST CONFUSION. I SAW THE MIL ARPT, NOT RAPID CITY. HE TOLD ME TO STAY WITH HIM, AND HE VECTORED ME TO THE APCH END OF THE ARPT AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH. WELL I HAD SEEN THE ARPT ALL ALONG, SO I STARTED TO DSND FOR THE RWY AND I WAS TOLD TO GO MISSED, AND THAT I WAS ON FINAL FOR THE MIL ARPT. BOTH ARPTS HAD APPROX THE SAME RWYS. THEY WERE ABOUT 6 MI APART.

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.