Small aircraft makes approach and landing at wrong airport. Not in contact with tower.

Attributes
ACN	221968
Time
Date	199209
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : crq
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	221968
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying on the 130 degree radial to the oceanside VOR en route to oceanside airport. After crossing the VOR, I set a course for 92 degree from to take me to oceanside. I have never landed at oceanside, but have flown over it several times. Several mins after crossing the VOR, I couldn't find the airport. After several more mins I located what I thought was oceanside airport. I transmitted on 123.0 (published frequency) but got no response. I didn't think anything of it as a lot of times you do not get a response at uncontrolled airports. After spotting the airport and identing that the runway was 6 and 24, I set up for a right traffic pattern as specified for runway 24 for noise abatement. I announced my intentions on 123.0 on downwind, base and final. I landed and rolled clear of the active. At that point, I noticed a sign that stated to contact ground on 121.8. I realized at this point that I had landed at an airport other than oceanside. It turned out to be palomar. After thinking about this, I believe my problem arose because I had not reset my heading indicator since the time before I took off. This resulted in an erroneous heading indication other than 92 degree. In addition, I had not flown in this area for several months and was not totally familiar with the terrain. The airport that I landed, palomar, also has a single runway, 6 and 24. Once I saw the runway numbers, I thought that I had found oceanside and began concentrating on my prelndg checklist and duties. I did not notice that there was a control tower on the field until I landed and saw the sign indicating that ground was 121.8. The fact that it was near dark made the airport and surrounding areas difficult to locate. I should have realized that I had passed the airport after 5-6 mins after passing the VOR as the airport is only 23 NM east of the oceanside VOR. I should have headed back towards the VOR and reflown the 92 degree from radial wing the VOR instead of heading indicator heading only.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKES APCH AND LNDG AT WRONG ARPT. NOT IN CONTACT WITH TWR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON THE 130 DEG RADIAL TO THE OCEANSIDE VOR ENRTE TO OCEANSIDE ARPT. AFTER XING THE VOR, I SET A COURSE FOR 92 DEG FROM TO TAKE ME TO OCEANSIDE. I HAVE NEVER LANDED AT OCEANSIDE, BUT HAVE FLOWN OVER IT SEVERAL TIMES. SEVERAL MINS AFTER XING THE VOR, I COULDN'T FIND THE ARPT. AFTER SEVERAL MORE MINS I LOCATED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS OCEANSIDE ARPT. I XMITTED ON 123.0 (PUBLISHED FREQ) BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT AS A LOT OF TIMES YOU DO NOT GET A RESPONSE AT UNCTLED ARPTS. AFTER SPOTTING THE ARPT AND IDENTING THAT THE RWY WAS 6 AND 24, I SET UP FOR A R TFC PATTERN AS SPECIFIED FOR RWY 24 FOR NOISE ABATEMENT. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS ON 123.0 ON DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL. I LANDED AND ROLLED CLR OF THE ACTIVE. AT THAT POINT, I NOTICED A SIGN THAT STATED TO CONTACT GND ON 121.8. I REALIZED AT THIS POINT THAT I HAD LANDED AT AN ARPT OTHER THAN OCEANSIDE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE PALOMAR. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THIS, I BELIEVE MY PROBLEM AROSE BECAUSE I HAD NOT RESET MY HDG INDICATOR SINCE THE TIME BEFORE I TOOK OFF. THIS RESULTED IN AN ERRONEOUS HDG INDICATION OTHER THAN 92 DEG. IN ADDITION, I HAD NOT FLOWN IN THIS AREA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND WAS NOT TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN. THE ARPT THAT I LANDED, PALOMAR, ALSO HAS A SINGLE RWY, 6 AND 24. ONCE I SAW THE RWY NUMBERS, I THOUGHT THAT I HAD FOUND OCEANSIDE AND BEGAN CONCENTRATING ON MY PRELNDG CHKLIST AND DUTIES. I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A CTL TWR ON THE FIELD UNTIL I LANDED AND SAW THE SIGN INDICATING THAT GND WAS 121.8. THE FACT THAT IT WAS NEAR DARK MADE THE ARPT AND SURROUNDING AREAS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT I HAD PASSED THE ARPT AFTER 5-6 MINS AFTER PASSING THE VOR AS THE ARPT IS ONLY 23 NM E OF THE OCEANSIDE VOR. I SHOULD HAVE HEADED BACK TOWARDS THE VOR AND REFLOWN THE 92 DEG FROM RADIAL WING THE VOR INSTEAD OF HDG INDICATOR HDG ONLY.

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.