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Unauthorized penetration of airspace and approach to wrong airport occurs during a heading track deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 185984 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199108 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : edw airport : wjf airport : mhv |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3100 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla tracon : edw tower : edw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach landing : go around |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 185984 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was acting as safety pilot from the right seat while the PIC made a practice approach into fox field. We taxied back and I took off, making a downwind departure toward what I believed was mojave. I just headed in the direction I thought it was in, having memorized surrounding terrain from the air while I was safety pilot. As we got closer, I thought it looked somewhat different than it should but I continued. I entered for downwind 22 all the while making position reports on mojave's frequency. When I reported final for 22, unicom advised there was an airplane taking off in opposite direction so I went around. I thought it was odd that I didn't see the plane I was warned about. It was then mojave asked me to verify what airport I was at and I realized where I was and headed west. This situation was pilot error plain and simple. I got too comfortable thinking I knew exactly where I was. From now on I will plan my headings using compass and chart and never again just start heading 'that-a-way'.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE AND APCH TO WRONG ARPT OCCURS DURING A HDG TRACK DEV.
Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS SAFETY PLT FROM THE R SEAT WHILE THE PIC MADE A PRACTICE APCH INTO FOX FIELD. WE TAXIED BACK AND I TOOK OFF, MAKING A DOWNWIND DEP TOWARD WHAT I BELIEVED WAS MOJAVE. I JUST HEADED IN THE DIRECTION I THOUGHT IT WAS IN, HAVING MEMORIZED SURROUNDING TERRAIN FROM THE AIR WHILE I WAS SAFETY PLT. AS WE GOT CLOSER, I THOUGHT IT LOOKED SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN IT SHOULD BUT I CONTINUED. I ENTERED FOR DOWNWIND 22 ALL THE WHILE MAKING POS RPTS ON MOJAVE'S FREQ. WHEN I RPTED FINAL FOR 22, UNICOM ADVISED THERE WAS AN AIRPLANE TAKING OFF IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION SO I WENT AROUND. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT I DIDN'T SEE THE PLANE I WAS WARNED ABOUT. IT WAS THEN MOJAVE ASKED ME TO VERIFY WHAT ARPT I WAS AT AND I REALIZED WHERE I WAS AND HEADED W. THIS SITUATION WAS PLT ERROR PLAIN AND SIMPLE. I GOT TOO COMFORTABLE THINKING I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE I WAS. FROM NOW ON I WILL PLAN MY HDGS USING COMPASS AND CHART AND NEVER AGAIN JUST START HDG 'THAT-A-WAY'.
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.