Narrative:

After a long days work we departed fty airport in atlanta for concord 3n8. Although tired, I felt refreshed after dinner and a short break. After arriving in concord area, we were given numerous vectors around charlotte airspace and when finally told 'cleared direct to concord,' I pushed the direct button on the LORAN and after turning to the appropriate heading I noted a beacon and the mileage on the LORAN seemed appropriate called the airport in sight. I was cleared for the visual and I canceled the IFR portion of my flight plan. As I started to turn final for the runway, I noticed something seemed peculiar in the number of buildings near the airport. As I got lower I discovered that, although I could identify the runway as being runway 2, it was not the right runway 2. I immediately initiated a go around and, after departing, I hit direct again for 3n8. This time it pointed us in the right direction but, when we arrived at 3n8, the LORAN was indicating the airport to be 90 degrees to my right (on a 1 mi final to 3n8) and 10 mi. At this point, I realized the LORAN was unsuitable for VFR navigation. Even though I had set up the backup as the VOR approach to 3n8 off of clt VOR, I did not trust it. Instead I trusted the wrong navigation - LORAN. I felt the contributing factors to my mistake were night, airports only 10 mi apart with the exact same runway and finally I started catching a cold or virus which compounded or accelerated a tired pilot's perspective. A lesson well learned. Back up your navigation with everything even a controller if available.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT MAKES APCH TO WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER A LONG DAYS WORK WE DEPARTED FTY ARPT IN ATLANTA FOR CONCORD 3N8. ALTHOUGH TIRED, I FELT REFRESHED AFTER DINNER AND A SHORT BREAK. AFTER ARRIVING IN CONCORD AREA, WE WERE GIVEN NUMEROUS VECTORS AROUND CHARLOTTE AIRSPACE AND WHEN FINALLY TOLD 'CLRED DIRECT TO CONCORD,' I PUSHED THE DIRECT BUTTON ON THE LORAN AND AFTER TURNING TO THE APPROPRIATE HDG I NOTED A BEACON AND THE MILEAGE ON THE LORAN SEEMED APPROPRIATE CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND I CANCELED THE IFR PORTION OF MY FLT PLAN. AS I STARTED TO TURN FINAL FOR THE RWY, I NOTICED SOMETHING SEEMED PECULIAR IN THE NUMBER OF BUILDINGS NEAR THE ARPT. AS I GOT LOWER I DISCOVERED THAT, ALTHOUGH I COULD IDENT THE RWY AS BEING RWY 2, IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT RWY 2. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A GAR AND, AFTER DEPARTING, I HIT DIRECT AGAIN FOR 3N8. THIS TIME IT POINTED US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT, WHEN WE ARRIVED AT 3N8, THE LORAN WAS INDICATING THE ARPT TO BE 90 DEGS TO MY R (ON A 1 MI FINAL TO 3N8) AND 10 MI. AT THIS POINT, I REALIZED THE LORAN WAS UNSUITABLE FOR VFR NAV. EVEN THOUGH I HAD SET UP THE BACKUP AS THE VOR APCH TO 3N8 OFF OF CLT VOR, I DID NOT TRUST IT. INSTEAD I TRUSTED THE WRONG NAV - LORAN. I FELT THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO MY MISTAKE WERE NIGHT, ARPTS ONLY 10 MI APART WITH THE EXACT SAME RWY AND FINALLY I STARTED CATCHING A COLD OR VIRUS WHICH COMPOUNDED OR ACCELERATED A TIRED PLT'S PERSPECTIVE. A LESSON WELL LEARNED. BACK UP YOUR NAV WITH EVERYTHING EVEN A CTLR IF AVAILABLE.

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.