Small aircraft develops ice on windshield. Diverts and lands at wrong airport without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	164792
Time
Date	199012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : 1n9 tower : abe artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 875
ASRS Report	164792
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a VFR flight from rhode island to montgomery field, md, some mi east of abe arsa, rain began. Shortly ice started to build up on the aircraft. It coated the windshield and there was no forward visibility. I did a 180 degree turn and worked the LORAN for distances to trenton and caldwell, nj. Both were too far. The 2 nearest airports were indicated to be turf. Because of visibility, I rejected landing at either. Next closest airport was 1n9. My nos approach plate confirmed that the unicom frequency was 122.7. I called and asked for the active runway. Response was 14. The LORAN indicated the direction and distance, about 6 mi. I spotted the airport through the side window, made out 14 and descended toward it, on base, announcing as I came. It looked short and small. Just before I turned final, a large, almost parallel runway appeared. Under the circumstances it seemed a better choice. The defroster by now had cleared the windshield to some extent, and on final I could see the big runway was numbered 13. (I admit being momentarily puzzled that what now appeared to be a large airport had only unicom, but the ice was still building up.) as soon as I touched down and stopped I flipped through the abe approach plates, 8 of them. 6 were for abe, only 2 for 1n9. I had landed at abe, by now obvious to me as the wrong allentown airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEVELOPS ICE ON WINDSHIELD. DIVERTS AND LANDS AT WRONG ARPT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING A VFR FLT FROM RHODE ISLAND TO MONTGOMERY FIELD, MD, SOME MI E OF ABE ARSA, RAIN BEGAN. SHORTLY ICE STARTED TO BUILD UP ON THE ACFT. IT COATED THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE WAS NO FORWARD VISIBILITY. I DID A 180 DEG TURN AND WORKED THE LORAN FOR DISTANCES TO TRENTON AND CALDWELL, NJ. BOTH WERE TOO FAR. THE 2 NEAREST ARPTS WERE INDICATED TO BE TURF. BECAUSE OF VISIBILITY, I REJECTED LNDG AT EITHER. NEXT CLOSEST ARPT WAS 1N9. MY NOS APCH PLATE CONFIRMED THAT THE UNICOM FREQ WAS 122.7. I CALLED AND ASKED FOR THE ACTIVE RWY. RESPONSE WAS 14. THE LORAN INDICATED THE DIRECTION AND DISTANCE, ABOUT 6 MI. I SPOTTED THE ARPT THROUGH THE SIDE WINDOW, MADE OUT 14 AND DSNDED TOWARD IT, ON BASE, ANNOUNCING AS I CAME. IT LOOKED SHORT AND SMALL. JUST BEFORE I TURNED FINAL, A LARGE, ALMOST PARALLEL RWY APPEARED. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES IT SEEMED A BETTER CHOICE. THE DEFROSTER BY NOW HAD CLRED THE WINDSHIELD TO SOME EXTENT, AND ON FINAL I COULD SEE THE BIG RWY WAS NUMBERED 13. (I ADMIT BEING MOMENTARILY PUZZLED THAT WHAT NOW APPEARED TO BE A LARGE ARPT HAD ONLY UNICOM, BUT THE ICE WAS STILL BUILDING UP.) AS SOON AS I TOUCHED DOWN AND STOPPED I FLIPPED THROUGH THE ABE APCH PLATES, 8 OF THEM. 6 WERE FOR ABE, ONLY 2 FOR 1N9. I HAD LANDED AT ABE, BY NOW OBVIOUS TO ME AS THE WRONG ALLENTOWN ARPT.

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.