Reporter error admitted in wrong airport approach unauthorized landing.

Attributes
ACN	305902
Time
Date	199505
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mcf
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa tower : mcf
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	305902
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an IFR part 91 flight from sfb to tpf, descended to 1600 ft. Initially did not have airport in sight. Shortly after, I believed I had airport in sight and was lined up for a straight-in visual approach to runway 21. Confirmed with controller airport 12 O'clock, accepted visual approach. Completed landing checklist. Reconfirmed my position with GPS. GPS showed airport 210 degrees at 3 mi. After landing discovered I had inadvertently landed at mcdill AFB. GPS still showing 210 degrees at 3 mi but intermittently flashing '2 satellites need 3.' factors which contributed to the mistake were: time pressure to pick up passenger. Believed ATC had confirmed correct airport. Certain sense of complacency because I was in the IFR system. Unfamiliarity with the area. Dependence on GPS. High workload phase of flight, single pilot. Same airport layout at both airports. Distraction due to business problems. Corrective actions: this incident could have been avoided by referring to a sectional chart rather than plates during visual approachs, by not believing GPS over other aids, by not depending on ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ERROR ADMITTED IN WRONG ARPT APCH UNAUTH LNDG.

Narrative: ON AN IFR PART 91 FLT FROM SFB TO TPF, DSNDED TO 1600 FT. INITIALLY DID NOT HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER, I BELIEVED I HAD ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS LINED UP FOR A STRAIGHT-IN VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21. CONFIRMED WITH CTLR ARPT 12 O'CLOCK, ACCEPTED VISUAL APCH. COMPLETED LNDG CHKLIST. RECONFIRMED MY POS WITH GPS. GPS SHOWED ARPT 210 DEGS AT 3 MI. AFTER LNDG DISCOVERED I HAD INADVERTENTLY LANDED AT MCDILL AFB. GPS STILL SHOWING 210 DEGS AT 3 MI BUT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHING '2 SATELLITES NEED 3.' FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE MISTAKE WERE: TIME PRESSURE TO PICK UP PAX. BELIEVED ATC HAD CONFIRMED CORRECT ARPT. CERTAIN SENSE OF COMPLACENCY BECAUSE I WAS IN THE IFR SYS. UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA. DEPENDENCE ON GPS. HIGH WORKLOAD PHASE OF FLT, SINGLE PLT. SAME ARPT LAYOUT AT BOTH ARPTS. DISTR DUE TO BUSINESS PROBS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY REFERRING TO A SECTIONAL CHART RATHER THAN PLATES DURING VISUAL APCHS, BY NOT BELIEVING GPS OVER OTHER AIDS, BY NOT DEPENDING ON ATC.

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.