Pilot of small aircraft broke out VFR called airport in sight and aligned for landing. Wrong airport...

Attributes
ACN	191041
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lnn airport : cgf
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cgf tower : lnn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	191041
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While shooting the ILS 23 at cgf, cle approach cleared us on the approach and handed us off to cgf tower. At that time we began to pop through a lower scattered layer. I saw what appeared to be cgf and reported that I had the field in sight. Tower acknowledged this and cleared us to land. I then proceeded visually to the airport which turned out to be lost nation airport which is about 5 mi east of cgf. At 800 ft AGL I idented the airport and started a go around. At that time tower at cgf told me to go around and revectored me around for another approach which ended uneventfully at cgf. I believe that the problem was caused by the fact that I chose to fly visually to an airport instead of flying the ILS needles. Although I was legal to fly IFR at the time of the incident I did not feel totally comfortable doing it. Maybe with low IFR time IFR pilots the 6663 rule is not enough to keep them current and comfortable with IFR flying. Before my next IFR flight I will definitely obtain some recurrent instruction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA BROKE OUT VFR CALLED ARPT IN SIGHT AND ALIGNED FOR LNDG. WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE SHOOTING THE ILS 23 AT CGF, CLE APCH CLRED US ON THE APCH AND HANDED US OFF TO CGF TWR. AT THAT TIME WE BEGAN TO POP THROUGH A LOWER SCATTERED LAYER. I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE CGF AND RPTED THAT I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND CLRED US TO LAND. I THEN PROCEEDED VISUALLY TO THE ARPT WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE LOST NATION ARPT WHICH IS ABOUT 5 MI E OF CGF. AT 800 FT AGL I IDENTED THE ARPT AND STARTED A GAR. AT THAT TIME TWR AT CGF TOLD ME TO GAR AND REVECTORED ME AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH WHICH ENDED UNEVENTFULLY AT CGF. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT I CHOSE TO FLY VISUALLY TO AN ARPT INSTEAD OF FLYING THE ILS NEEDLES. ALTHOUGH I WAS LEGAL TO FLY IFR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I DID NOT FEEL TOTALLY COMFORTABLE DOING IT. MAYBE WITH LOW IFR TIME IFR PLTS THE 6663 RULE IS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM CURRENT AND COMFORTABLE WITH IFR FLYING. BEFORE MY NEXT IFR FLT I WILL DEFINITELY OBTAIN SOME RECURRENT INSTRUCTION.

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.