Narrative:

I was flying early in the morning on jun/mon/93 from tulsa riverside to fyv, ar. I was using the razorback VOR, ZME, and highway 412 to direct me to fyv. To help me with my initial navigation I said to myself 'just keep flying the highway, it'll take you right there.' when actually I knew it would take me just north. I got busy looking at the flight guide, talking to my brother, and explaining lots of different things when center allowed me to switch frequencys, he gave me a '230 and 2 mi' notice before my leaving him. Flying into the sun in haze, and knowing I was tired (also, I do not currently own a pair of sunglasses), I knew I needed to look for the airport as soon as possible. Coming up on the town, now it should be just on the southeast side. I never did turn the airplane south of what I flew. I was approaching springdale and talking to fyv. They cleared me to land runway 16 #2. I said I did not have traffic but would be looking. So now my mind is set on looking for this airport now and looking for the traffic now! All of a sudden, the (springdale) airport came in sight. I swung around and entered the traffic pattern to land. On final I saw the numbers (18). Immediately, I knew something was wrong -- did they just not repaint the numbers? -- Do I see a control tower? Being vigilant with flying the airplane and looking for traffic, I concentrated on landing. After landing drake tower asked where I was. I responded 'taxiway bravo, I think.' then our transmission cut out. Very very soon I saw my mistake and took off immediately and re-established contact with drake tower. They then instructed me to fly south. Well, when I landed at springdale, I knew where to go so I didn't need their navigational advice (but apparently, flying into the sun earlier, I did). I apologized profusely, and there seemed to be no problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI FLUNKS DEAD RECKONING. PLT TECHNIQUE NAV LEAVES A BIT TO BE DESIRED. WRONG ARPT APCH LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING EARLY IN THE MORNING ON JUN/MON/93 FROM TULSA RIVERSIDE TO FYV, AR. I WAS USING THE RAZORBACK VOR, ZME, AND HWY 412 TO DIRECT ME TO FYV. TO HELP ME WITH MY INITIAL NAV I SAID TO MYSELF 'JUST KEEP FLYING THE HWY, IT'LL TAKE YOU RIGHT THERE.' WHEN ACTUALLY I KNEW IT WOULD TAKE ME JUST N. I GOT BUSY LOOKING AT THE FLT GUIDE, TALKING TO MY BROTHER, AND EXPLAINING LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN CTR ALLOWED ME TO SWITCH FREQS, HE GAVE ME A '230 AND 2 MI' NOTICE BEFORE MY LEAVING HIM. FLYING INTO THE SUN IN HAZE, AND KNOWING I WAS TIRED (ALSO, I DO NOT CURRENTLY OWN A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES), I KNEW I NEEDED TO LOOK FOR THE ARPT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. COMING UP ON THE TOWN, NOW IT SHOULD BE JUST ON THE SE SIDE. I NEVER DID TURN THE AIRPLANE S OF WHAT I FLEW. I WAS APCHING SPRINGDALE AND TALKING TO FYV. THEY CLRED ME TO LAND RWY 16 #2. I SAID I DID NOT HAVE TFC BUT WOULD BE LOOKING. SO NOW MY MIND IS SET ON LOOKING FOR THIS ARPT NOW AND LOOKING FOR THE TFC NOW! ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE (SPRINGDALE) ARPT CAME IN SIGHT. I SWUNG AROUND AND ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN TO LAND. ON FINAL I SAW THE NUMBERS (18). IMMEDIATELY, I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG -- DID THEY JUST NOT REPAINT THE NUMBERS? -- DO I SEE A CTL TWR? BEING VIGILANT WITH FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND LOOKING FOR TFC, I CONCENTRATED ON LNDG. AFTER LNDG DRAKE TWR ASKED WHERE I WAS. I RESPONDED 'TXWY BRAVO, I THINK.' THEN OUR XMISSION CUT OUT. VERY VERY SOON I SAW MY MISTAKE AND TOOK OFF IMMEDIATELY AND RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH DRAKE TWR. THEY THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO FLY S. WELL, WHEN I LANDED AT SPRINGDALE, I KNEW WHERE TO GO SO I DIDN'T NEED THEIR NAVIGATIONAL ADVICE (BUT APPARENTLY, FLYING INTO THE SUN EARLIER, I DID). I APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY, AND THERE SEEMED TO BE NO PROB.

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.