Small aircraft makes approach wrong airport. No tower contact.

Attributes
ACN	272501
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lns airport : 37pa
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1180 msl bound upper : 1180
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lns
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 371 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	272501
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Day VFR flight from hgr to 37PA by pilotage, with visibility approximately 25 mi. Spotted airport approximately 15 mi out with runway well-lit by reflected sunlight and correct magnetic heading for 37PA. Called for airport advisory 5 mi out and was told that runway 28 was in use with back-taxiing traffic. Upon announcing entering downwind on a 45, I was again reminded of back-taxiing traffic. While focused on looking for back-taxiing traffic, I failed to notice that what I thought was taxiway was actually an intersecting runway. Upon announcing intentions to turn base, I was questioned by aircraft in pattern at 37PA as to my location. Looking away from runway 28, I noticed intersecting runway numbers, and realized this was not 37PA! Exiting the area, while watching for traffic and trying to pinpoint my location, I consulted the chart I had stowed prior to preparing to land. I then realized it was lns, approximately 6-7 mi west of 37PA, and that had been in their air traffic area! Somewhat shaken, I plotted a course for home, and reflected on the potentially dangerous error I had committed. I assumed the sighted airport was my destination by visual reference to the runway spotted, and focused my attention on looking for back-taxiing traffic. By focusing my attention, I failed to notice other features of the airport which would have informed me that it was not 37PA -- the runway being too long and too wide. In the future, I shall make no assumptions, and identify the airport with all available methods possible: VOR, GPS, and published airport information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MAKES APCH WRONG ARPT. NO TWR CONTACT.

Narrative: DAY VFR FLT FROM HGR TO 37PA BY PILOTAGE, WITH VISIBILITY APPROX 25 MI. SPOTTED ARPT APPROX 15 MI OUT WITH RWY WELL-LIT BY REFLECTED SUNLIGHT AND CORRECT MAGNETIC HDG FOR 37PA. CALLED FOR ARPT ADVISORY 5 MI OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT RWY 28 WAS IN USE WITH BACK-TAXIING TFC. UPON ANNOUNCING ENTERING DOWNWIND ON A 45, I WAS AGAIN REMINDED OF BACK-TAXIING TFC. WHILE FOCUSED ON LOOKING FOR BACK-TAXIING TFC, I FAILED TO NOTICE THAT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TXWY WAS ACTUALLY AN INTERSECTING RWY. UPON ANNOUNCING INTENTIONS TO TURN BASE, I WAS QUESTIONED BY ACFT IN PATTERN AT 37PA AS TO MY LOCATION. LOOKING AWAY FROM RWY 28, I NOTICED INTERSECTING RWY NUMBERS, AND REALIZED THIS WAS NOT 37PA! EXITING THE AREA, WHILE WATCHING FOR TFC AND TRYING TO PINPOINT MY LOCATION, I CONSULTED THE CHART I HAD STOWED PRIOR TO PREPARING TO LAND. I THEN REALIZED IT WAS LNS, APPROX 6-7 MI W OF 37PA, AND THAT HAD BEEN IN THEIR ATA! SOMEWHAT SHAKEN, I PLOTTED A COURSE FOR HOME, AND REFLECTED ON THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ERROR I HAD COMMITTED. I ASSUMED THE SIGHTED ARPT WAS MY DEST BY VISUAL REF TO THE RWY SPOTTED, AND FOCUSED MY ATTN ON LOOKING FOR BACK-TAXIING TFC. BY FOCUSING MY ATTN, I FAILED TO NOTICE OTHER FEATURES OF THE ARPT WHICH WOULD HAVE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT 37PA -- THE RWY BEING TOO LONG AND TOO WIDE. IN THE FUTURE, I SHALL MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS, AND IDENT THE ARPT WITH ALL AVAILABLE METHODS POSSIBLE: VOR, GPS, AND PUBLISHED ARPT INFO.

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.