Small transport lands at air force base instead of rap airport.

Attributes
ACN	247679
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rca
State Reference	SD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	247679
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VOR approach to rapid city airport. Turned to final approach course via radar vectors 6000 ft. Broke out of clouds between layers with large hole below and runway. Unable to see to either side of runway or approach end. Assumed this to be rapid city airport and thought I had been turned to final approach in close. Landing was uneventful. I was then told by rapid city tower I had landed at ellsworth air force base at 5 mi from rapid city. I was in contact with rapid city tower and told them I had field in sight. This would have been avoided had I noted my DME was too far from rapid city field. However, my total focus was on the runway when it came in sight with the assumption it was rapid city. I understand the significance of this mistake had there been another plane on the runway. I had referenced the approach plate and was aware of the presence of ellsworth air force base but put this out of my mind once I focused on the runway in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT LANDS AT AIR FORCE BASE INSTEAD OF RAP ARPT.

Narrative: VOR APCH TO RAPID CITY ARPT. TURNED TO FINAL APCH COURSE VIA RADAR VECTORS 6000 FT. BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS BTWN LAYERS WITH LARGE HOLE BELOW AND RWY. UNABLE TO SEE TO EITHER SIDE OF RWY OR APCH END. ASSUMED THIS TO BE RAPID CITY ARPT AND THOUGHT I HAD BEEN TURNED TO FINAL APCH IN CLOSE. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I WAS THEN TOLD BY RAPID CITY TWR I HAD LANDED AT ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE AT 5 MI FROM RAPID CITY. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH RAPID CITY TWR AND TOLD THEM I HAD FIELD IN SIGHT. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I NOTED MY DME WAS TOO FAR FROM RAPID CITY FIELD. HOWEVER, MY TOTAL FOCUS WAS ON THE RWY WHEN IT CAME IN SIGHT WITH THE ASSUMPTION IT WAS RAPID CITY. I UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MISTAKE HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER PLANE ON THE RWY. I HAD REFED THE APCH PLATE AND WAS AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE BUT PUT THIS OUT OF MY MIND ONCE I FOCUSED ON THE RWY IN SIGHT.

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.