Narrative:

My daughter accompanied me on a night local cross country flight to mercer county airport which I was conducting for the sake of upgrading my proficiency in cross country flight operations and procedures, as well as for the sake of adding on more cross country time that is needed for ratings pursued. The first leg was successful and terminated before sunset. To expedite the flight I charted a course which consisted of following the yardley VOR 065 degree outbound radial direct to linden airport. After takeoff, I intercepted the 065 degree outbound radial but centered the needle by turning the O.B.south. Knob several times, planning my final interception west of linden. According to my calculations, we should have been aloft for 30 to 35 mins when we should have been well within the linden airport environment. I spotted a green rotating beacon 30 mins into the flight then zeroed in on the light thus flying for an additional 10 mins. Closing on the runway I radioed my intentions. Linden' active that night was eastward 090. I landed on what I thought was that active but was in fact eastward 110 at newark international. Airport. I was questioned as to my situation and willingly submitted a statement then released. I neither saw any large airport traffic in the air, nor any large plane on the runway. I have, since the incident, compiled several means of radio and NAVAID system with which I plan to use in navigation to and from the non twred linden airport, and I have requested additional night approach instruction from the flight school. I never plan to let that incident, or another one like or unlike it, to ever have an opportunity to endanger my flight again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: MY DAUGHTER ACCOMPANIED ME ON A NIGHT LCL XCOUNTRY FLT TO MERCER COUNTY ARPT WHICH I WAS CONDUCTING FOR THE SAKE OF UPGRADING MY PROFICIENCY IN XCOUNTRY FLT OPS AND PROCS, AS WELL AS FOR THE SAKE OF ADDING ON MORE XCOUNTRY TIME THAT IS NEEDED FOR RATINGS PURSUED. THE FIRST LEG WAS SUCCESSFUL AND TERMINATED BEFORE SUNSET. TO EXPEDITE THE FLT I CHARTED A COURSE WHICH CONSISTED OF FOLLOWING THE YARDLEY VOR 065 DEG OUTBOUND RADIAL DIRECT TO LINDEN ARPT. AFTER TKOF, I INTERCEPTED THE 065 DEG OUTBOUND RADIAL BUT CTRED THE NEEDLE BY TURNING THE O.B.S. KNOB SEVERAL TIMES, PLANNING MY FINAL INTERCEPTION W OF LINDEN. ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALOFT FOR 30 TO 35 MINS WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELL WITHIN THE LINDEN ARPT ENVIRONMENT. I SPOTTED A GREEN ROTATING BEACON 30 MINS INTO THE FLT THEN ZEROED IN ON THE LIGHT THUS FLYING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 MINS. CLOSING ON THE RWY I RADIOED MY INTENTIONS. LINDEN' ACTIVE THAT NIGHT WAS EASTWARD 090. I LANDED ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THAT ACTIVE BUT WAS IN FACT EASTWARD 110 AT NEWARK INTL. ARPT. I WAS QUESTIONED AS TO MY SIT AND WILLINGLY SUBMITTED A STATEMENT THEN RELEASED. I NEITHER SAW ANY LARGE ARPT TFC IN THE AIR, NOR ANY LARGE PLANE ON THE RWY. I HAVE, SINCE THE INCIDENT, COMPILED SEVERAL MEANS OF RADIO AND NAVAID SYS WITH WHICH I PLAN TO USE IN NAV TO AND FROM THE NON TWRED LINDEN ARPT, AND I HAVE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL NIGHT APCH INSTRUCTION FROM THE FLT SCHOOL. I NEVER PLAN TO LET THAT INCIDENT, OR ANOTHER ONE LIKE OR UNLIKE IT, TO EVER HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENDANGER MY FLT AGAIN.

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.