GA small aircraft wrong airport landing. Only missed descent by 4 NM.

Attributes
ACN	159097
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 0o1
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mce
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1900
ASRS Report	159097
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While heading toward the sun in lightly hazy conditions, I landed at atwater airport mistaking it for merced. Atwater is located about 4-5 mi northwest of merced and the runway is the sme 12-30. While in a VFR descent, I thought I had merced in sight and told the controller I was descending to enter the pattern for merced. The controller said 'roger, frequency change approved. Squawk 1200.' I did so. I was still slightly high because I had a good tailwind. I flew a little wider pattern than normal and landed runway 30. I then realized I was at atwater. I can see where poor visibility was somewhat of a factor. I can see where if I would have asked for vectors direct merced earlier, or the controller had queried my heading at atwater, this could have been avoided. Since I already had the winds I entered the appropriate left traffic instead of flying overhead to check conditions I might have realized the difference. Also hazy conditions looking at the sun didn't help, as being unfamiliar with the area. I had a DME and radial dialed in off nido VOR, however I missed the 4-5 mi difference when I became busy with the hurried landing procedure for compensating being high and close.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG ARPT LNDG. ONLY MISSED DESCENT BY 4 NM.

Narrative: WHILE HDG TOWARD THE SUN IN LIGHTLY HAZY CONDITIONS, I LANDED AT ATWATER ARPT MISTAKING IT FOR MERCED. ATWATER IS LOCATED ABOUT 4-5 MI NW OF MERCED AND THE RWY IS THE SME 12-30. WHILE IN A VFR DSNT, I THOUGHT I HAD MERCED IN SIGHT AND TOLD THE CTLR I WAS DSNDING TO ENTER THE PATTERN FOR MERCED. THE CTLR SAID 'ROGER, FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. SQUAWK 1200.' I DID SO. I WAS STILL SLIGHTLY HIGH BECAUSE I HAD A GOOD TAILWIND. I FLEW A LITTLE WIDER PATTERN THAN NORMAL AND LANDED RWY 30. I THEN REALIZED I WAS AT ATWATER. I CAN SEE WHERE POOR VISIBILITY WAS SOMEWHAT OF A FACTOR. I CAN SEE WHERE IF I WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR VECTORS DIRECT MERCED EARLIER, OR THE CTLR HAD QUERIED MY HDG AT ATWATER, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SINCE I ALREADY HAD THE WINDS I ENTERED THE APPROPRIATE LEFT TFC INSTEAD OF FLYING OVERHEAD TO CHK CONDITIONS I MIGHT HAVE REALIZED THE DIFFERENCE. ALSO HAZY CONDITIONS LOOKING AT THE SUN DIDN'T HELP, AS BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. I HAD A DME AND RADIAL DIALED IN OFF NIDO VOR, HOWEVER I MISSED THE 4-5 MI DIFFERENCE WHEN I BECAME BUSY WITH THE HURRIED LNDG PROC FOR COMPENSATING BEING HIGH AND CLOSE.

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.