Narrative:

Was on a cross country training flight from mbt-cha-fym-mbt. My instructor and I were on the second leg (cha-fym) and had requested flight following to fym, from huntsville approach. We received a squawk and after identing, proceeded. We were idented as 27 mi east of fym. After a few mins approach called and said we were 13 mi and suggested a 290 degree heading. We found that strange since we had been heading 270 degrees and were coming across our chkpoints regularly. Instead of questioning this, we turned to 290 degrees. We had the rocket VOR (near huntsville) tuned in and we were using it to track our position. Some of our chkpoints were double- checked with the VOR, and we also found it strange that when the controller said we were 13 mi east, we were still on the 065 degree radial (which should of put us 35 mi out). As we moved to the 030 degree radial the controller called us and said the airport was 5 NM to the southeast, we saw what we thought may be the airport (even though the airport should have been on the 010 degree radial) and turned towards it. The controller gave us the squawk 1200 - radar services terminated. As we approached the field, it was in the same position as fym. We made radio calls and landed - only to find that we were at M82 some 15 mi south of fym and 10 mi from the class C. We couldn't believe it. Never was our safety in jeopardy but being a recent private pilot working on my 50 hours of PIC x-c time for my instrument rating, and being my first time with flight following - it was a bit unnerving. As a pilot I understand that its my responsibility to be aware of my position at all times, but I trusted too much in the ATC system to lead me the right way. After realizing that many things weren't right - we should have questioned the controller - I guess I put too much faith in their service. I am almost certain that either the controller thought we were someone else or he confused the 2 airports. In the future I will be sure to trust my abilities more and question what doesn't appear right, and hopefully somehow ATC may realize that we're all not veterans yet and understand that we put a lot of trust in them to sheer us correctly. Luckily for all, we didn't end up in the class C where it could have been disastrous for all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR ACFT X LANDED WRONG ARPT AFTER BEING MIS-RADAR IDENTED BY CTLR.

Narrative: WAS ON A XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT FROM MBT-CHA-FYM-MBT. MY INSTRUCTOR AND I WERE ON THE SECOND LEG (CHA-FYM) AND HAD REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING TO FYM, FROM HUNTSVILLE APCH. WE RECEIVED A SQUAWK AND AFTER IDENTING, PROCEEDED. WE WERE IDENTED AS 27 MI E OF FYM. AFTER A FEW MINS APCH CALLED AND SAID WE WERE 13 MI AND SUGGESTED A 290 DEG HDG. WE FOUND THAT STRANGE SINCE WE HAD BEEN HDG 270 DEGS AND WERE COMING ACROSS OUR CHKPOINTS REGULARLY. INSTEAD OF QUESTIONING THIS, WE TURNED TO 290 DEGS. WE HAD THE ROCKET VOR (NEAR HUNTSVILLE) TUNED IN AND WE WERE USING IT TO TRACK OUR POS. SOME OF OUR CHKPOINTS WERE DOUBLE- CHKED WITH THE VOR, AND WE ALSO FOUND IT STRANGE THAT WHEN THE CTLR SAID WE WERE 13 MI E, WE WERE STILL ON THE 065 DEG RADIAL (WHICH SHOULD OF PUT US 35 MI OUT). AS WE MOVED TO THE 030 DEG RADIAL THE CTLR CALLED US AND SAID THE ARPT WAS 5 NM TO THE SE, WE SAW WHAT WE THOUGHT MAY BE THE ARPT (EVEN THOUGH THE ARPT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE 010 DEG RADIAL) AND TURNED TOWARDS IT. THE CTLR GAVE US THE SQUAWK 1200 - RADAR SVCS TERMINATED. AS WE APCHED THE FIELD, IT WAS IN THE SAME POS AS FYM. WE MADE RADIO CALLS AND LANDED - ONLY TO FIND THAT WE WERE AT M82 SOME 15 MI S OF FYM AND 10 MI FROM THE CLASS C. WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. NEVER WAS OUR SAFETY IN JEOPARDY BUT BEING A RECENT PVT PLT WORKING ON MY 50 HRS OF PIC X-C TIME FOR MY INSTRUMENT RATING, AND BEING MY FIRST TIME WITH FLT FOLLOWING - IT WAS A BIT UNNERVING. AS A PLT I UNDERSTAND THAT ITS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO BE AWARE OF MY POS AT ALL TIMES, BUT I TRUSTED TOO MUCH IN THE ATC SYS TO LEAD ME THE RIGHT WAY. AFTER REALIZING THAT MANY THINGS WEREN'T RIGHT - WE SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CTLR - I GUESS I PUT TOO MUCH FAITH IN THEIR SVC. I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THAT EITHER THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE SOMEONE ELSE OR HE CONFUSED THE 2 ARPTS. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE SURE TO TRUST MY ABILITIES MORE AND QUESTION WHAT DOESN'T APPEAR RIGHT, AND HOPEFULLY SOMEHOW ATC MAY REALIZE THAT WE'RE ALL NOT VETERANS YET AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE PUT A LOT OF TRUST IN THEM TO SHEER US CORRECTLY. LUCKILY FOR ALL, WE DIDN'T END UP IN THE CLASS C WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS FOR ALL.

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.