Small aircraft pilot on maintenance flight inadvertently penetrates mge air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	180764
Time
Date	199106
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fty
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mge tower : fty
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	180769
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment 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:

It was a maintenance flight check which included a trip from mccollum airport to fulton county airport to pick up parts. The small aircraft had just had a cylinder replaced and the mechanic and I were going to fulton county. I called fulton county over a prominent ground feature (tank farm) and reported position and intention to land. They acknowledged and set me up for a right downwind runway 26. As I was flying in what I believed to be the direction of the airport, I was demonstrating to the mechanic the tendency of the aircraft to vibrate at certain power settings. During this brief distraction I was flying closer and closer to dobins AFB, believing it was fulton county. Fulton county called to ask position and I told them I was right downwind. They asked me to identify. I did, and that's when they and I realized my mistake. I instantly turned the aircraft away from the runway. County tower began to issue suggested headings and told me dobins AFB was aware. I continued my flight and landed at fulton county airport. I was surprised no one asked me to file a report. Certainly, I am embarrassed about this and will be more than cautious in the future to ensure this will never again happen to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON MAINTENANCE FLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES MGE ATA.

Narrative: IT WAS A MAINT FLT CHK WHICH INCLUDED A TRIP FROM MCCOLLUM ARPT TO FULTON COUNTY ARPT TO PICK UP PARTS. THE SMA HAD JUST HAD A CYLINDER REPLACED AND THE MECH AND I WERE GOING TO FULTON COUNTY. I CALLED FULTON COUNTY OVER A PROMINENT GND FEATURE (TANK FARM) AND RPTED POS AND INTENTION TO LAND. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED AND SET ME UP FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND RWY 26. AS I WAS FLYING IN WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE THE DIRECTION OF THE ARPT, I WAS DEMONSTRATING TO THE MECH THE TENDENCY OF THE ACFT TO VIBRATE AT CERTAIN PWR SETTINGS. DURING THIS BRIEF DISTR I WAS FLYING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO DOBINS AFB, BELIEVING IT WAS FULTON COUNTY. FULTON COUNTY CALLED TO ASK POS AND I TOLD THEM I WAS RIGHT DOWNWIND. THEY ASKED ME TO IDENT. I DID, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY AND I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I INSTANTLY TURNED THE ACFT AWAY FROM THE RWY. COUNTY TWR BEGAN TO ISSUE SUGGESTED HDGS AND TOLD ME DOBINS AFB WAS AWARE. I CONTINUED MY FLT AND LANDED AT FULTON COUNTY ARPT. I WAS SURPRISED NO ONE ASKED ME TO FILE A RPT. CERTAINLY, I AM EMBARRASSED ABOUT THIS AND WILL BE MORE THAN CAUTIOUS IN THE FUTURE TO ENSURE THIS WILL NEVER AGAIN HAPPEN TO ME.

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.