Private pilot of small aircraft single engine land aircraft inadvertently made a descent to the wron...

Attributes
ACN	241548
Time
Date	199305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pvd airport : oqu
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd tower : oqu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 130
ASRS Report	241548
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On may/mon/93 I was doing a favor for a friend who needed to leave his plane at oqu. He flew ahead in an small aircraft. I was to pick him up in oqu and fly him back to pmx. Another friend who is a pilot came along for the ride and to navigation for me. As we approached the arsa at providence, I attempted to contact ocean approach several times, but each time I attempted to do so, ocean approach responded that they were unable to hear me over a loud buzz on my radio. I changed frequencys to oqu who was able to hear me without problem. I decided to fly under the arsa and proceed directly to oqu. Passenger pointed out green state to me instead of oqu and I proceeded to the wrong airport. We didn't realize we were at the wrong airport because the runway numbers at green state arrival 16-34 and 23-5, just as they are at oqu. Oqu informed me I was clear to land and I turned base for a landing at green state. I realized I was at the wrong airport when I saw the VORTAC on the field and oqu tower told me they didn't have me in sight, and asked me if I saw parallel runways. Oqu tower told me to attempt to contact ocean approach again. This time, ocean approach, having been informed of my presence by oqu and that I was having trouble transmitting but could receive their frequency, instructed me with a squawk code and vectored me to oqu and told me to change frequency to oqu tower. A jet passed about 1/2 mi from us as we left green state, evasive action was not required.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF SMA SINGLE ENG LAND ACFT INADVERTENTLY MADE A DSCNT TO THE WRONG ARPT WHILE TALKING TO THE INTENDED DEST ARPT APPROX 12 MI FURTHER.

Narrative: ON MAY/MON/93 I WAS DOING A FAVOR FOR A FRIEND WHO NEEDED TO LEAVE HIS PLANE AT OQU. HE FLEW AHEAD IN AN SMA. I WAS TO PICK HIM UP IN OQU AND FLY HIM BACK TO PMX. ANOTHER FRIEND WHO IS A PLT CAME ALONG FOR THE RIDE AND TO NAV FOR ME. AS WE APCHED THE ARSA AT PROVIDENCE, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT OCEAN APCH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT EACH TIME I ATTEMPTED TO DO SO, OCEAN APCH RESPONDED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO HEAR ME OVER A LOUD BUZZ ON MY RADIO. I CHANGED FREQS TO OQU WHO WAS ABLE TO HEAR ME WITHOUT PROB. I DECIDED TO FLY UNDER THE ARSA AND PROCEED DIRECTLY TO OQU. PAX POINTED OUT GREEN STATE TO ME INSTEAD OF OQU AND I PROCEEDED TO THE WRONG ARPT. WE DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE AT THE WRONG ARPT BECAUSE THE RWY NUMBERS AT GREEN STATE ARR 16-34 AND 23-5, JUST AS THEY ARE AT OQU. OQU INFORMED ME I WAS CLR TO LAND AND I TURNED BASE FOR A LNDG AT GREEN STATE. I REALIZED I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT WHEN I SAW THE VORTAC ON THE FIELD AND OQU TWR TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T HAVE ME IN SIGHT, AND ASKED ME IF I SAW PARALLEL RWYS. OQU TWR TOLD ME TO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT OCEAN APCH AGAIN. THIS TIME, OCEAN APCH, HAVING BEEN INFORMED OF MY PRESENCE BY OQU AND THAT I WAS HAVING TROUBLE XMITTING BUT COULD RECEIVE THEIR FREQ, INSTRUCTED ME WITH A SQUAWK CODE AND VECTORED ME TO OQU AND TOLD ME TO CHANGE FREQ TO OQU TWR. A JET PASSED ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM US AS WE LEFT GREEN STATE, EVASIVE ACTION WAS NOT REQUIRED.

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.

Private pilot of small aircraft single engine land aircraft inadvertently made a descent to the wrong airport while talking to the intended destination airport approximately 12 mi further.