Student pilot on cross-country flight landed at wrong airport, fmh, when ewb was intended airport.

Attributes
ACN	177096
Time
Date	199104
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewb
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fmh
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 56 flight time type : 56
ASRS Report	177096
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed alb bound for new bedford. I was handed over to bdl from alb departure, who then handed me over to ocean approach as I neared my destination. I contacted ocean approach, informed them of who I was, my heading, my altitude, and of my intention of landing in new bedford. The approach controller asked me to squawk a code, which I did, and continued on. In fact, I flew right over my destination and was not alerted to this fact by the controller who was tracking me on his radar. A few mins later I was told that I was leaving ocean/approach area and told to contact the tower. I did. New bedford tower asked me my position. I replied that I was unsure, and that I would like some help. The tower controller asked me if I had a transponder, and I replied that I did. He said he would help me. A few moments later I saw an airport which I believed was new bedford. I informed the tower who cleared me to land on runway 14. Sure enough there was runway 14. I proceeded to land, only to find out I had landed at ottis AFB (who incidentally had a runway 14). During all my previous x-country flts and from what I have learned, the approach controller confirms that you have the airport in sight and then hands you over to the tower, and not wait until you fly over it and past it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLT LANDED AT WRONG ARPT, FMH, WHEN EWB WAS INTENDED ARPT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ALB BOUND FOR NEW BEDFORD. I WAS HANDED OVER TO BDL FROM ALB DEP, WHO THEN HANDED ME OVER TO OCEAN APCH AS I NEARED MY DEST. I CONTACTED OCEAN APCH, INFORMED THEM OF WHO I WAS, MY HDG, MY ALT, AND OF MY INTENTION OF LNDG IN NEW BEDFORD. THE APCH CTLR ASKED ME TO SQUAWK A CODE, WHICH I DID, AND CONTINUED ON. IN FACT, I FLEW RIGHT OVER MY DEST AND WAS NOT ALERTED TO THIS FACT BY THE CTLR WHO WAS TRACKING ME ON HIS RADAR. A FEW MINS LATER I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS LEAVING OCEAN/APCH AREA AND TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. I DID. NEW BEDFORD TWR ASKED ME MY POS. I REPLIED THAT I WAS UNSURE, AND THAT I WOULD LIKE SOME HELP. THE TWR CTLR ASKED ME IF I HAD A XPONDER, AND I REPLIED THAT I DID. HE SAID HE WOULD HELP ME. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I SAW AN ARPT WHICH I BELIEVED WAS NEW BEDFORD. I INFORMED THE TWR WHO CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 14. SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS RWY 14. I PROCEEDED TO LAND, ONLY TO FIND OUT I HAD LANDED AT OTTIS AFB (WHO INCIDENTALLY HAD A RWY 14). DURING ALL MY PREVIOUS X-COUNTRY FLTS AND FROM WHAT I HAVE LEARNED, THE APCH CTLR CONFIRMS THAT YOU HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND THEN HANDS YOU OVER TO THE TWR, AND NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU FLY OVER IT AND PAST IT.

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.