Narrative:

An IFR flight plan was filed (5d8 to clt) and a complete WX brief was received. En route it was discovered that the destination approach plates were not onboard the aircraft. When I collected all of my navigation material after flight planning, I must have inadvertently left the destination approach plates (southeast volume 2) on the flight planning table in the FBO. At this point I should have advised ATC that I would be unable to execute the approach at clt and reviewed options (cancel IFR, vectors to visual, alternate airports, etc). The IFR flight was continued per the flight planned route. En route WX updates were consistent with forecast conditions of VMC at destination. Prior to the descent phase of the flight, the WX cleared as forecast and it was apparent the remainder of the flight would be VMC. (I had assumed the approach would be vectors to visual.) on initial contact with approach, I was given vectors to the shine intersection. Since I had not adequately reviewed the stars for clt during the preflight, I was unable to find shine intersection immediately on the en route chart and advised ATC. (In retrospect, I was not explicit enough with the approach controller, and therefore it was not obvious to ATC that I did not have either the stars or approach charts on board.) ATC acknowledged and idented shine for me and provided vectors after shine intersection. I was handed off to the next approach controller who had cleared me for the ILS runway 18L at clt. After flying through the localizer twice and busting altitude, it had become obvious to the controller that there was a problem. The controller proceeded to vector me to runway 18L. Since I was unfamiliar with the airport, did not have the localizer dialed in, and had not adequately reviewed the airport diagram, I lined up on the north and south taxiway to runway 18R believing it to be runway 18L. The tower realized I was on the wrong side of the airport and advised me that runway 18L is on the east side of the tower and is black top. I realized my mistake and crossed over to the left. I advised tower that I now had runway 18L in sight. Tower then cleared me to land. Ground control advised me to contact the area manager after parking. I discussed the events with the area manager via the telephone. I explained the situation and assumed responsibility for the confusion. He appeared satisfied with the explanation and I believed that to be the end of it. While awaiting ground xportation, 2 FAA officials arrived to further discuss the events of the flight and conducted a ramp check of the aircraft. Everything was in order. They suggested I work on instrument procedures and concluded the interview.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT SMT PLT RPTS THAT HE FLEW AN IFR TRIP WITHOUT APCH PLATES FOR HIS DEST ARPT. ERROR ADMITTED.

Narrative: AN IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED (5D8 TO CLT) AND A COMPLETE WX BRIEF WAS RECEIVED. ENRTE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DEST APCH PLATES WERE NOT ONBOARD THE ACFT. WHEN I COLLECTED ALL OF MY NAV MATERIAL AFTER FLT PLANNING, I MUST HAVE INADVERTENTLY LEFT THE DEST APCH PLATES (SE VOLUME 2) ON THE FLT PLANNING TABLE IN THE FBO. AT THIS POINT I SHOULD HAVE ADVISED ATC THAT I WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXECUTE THE APCH AT CLT AND REVIEWED OPTIONS (CANCEL IFR, VECTORS TO VISUAL, ALTERNATE ARPTS, ETC). THE IFR FLT WAS CONTINUED PER THE FLT PLANNED RTE. ENRTE WX UPDATES WERE CONSISTENT WITH FORECAST CONDITIONS OF VMC AT DEST. PRIOR TO THE DSCNT PHASE OF THE FLT, THE WX CLRED AS FORECAST AND IT WAS APPARENT THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WOULD BE VMC. (I HAD ASSUMED THE APCH WOULD BE VECTORS TO VISUAL.) ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH APCH, I WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE SHINE INTXN. SINCE I HAD NOT ADEQUATELY REVIEWED THE STARS FOR CLT DURING THE PREFLT, I WAS UNABLE TO FIND SHINE INTXN IMMEDIATELY ON THE ENRTE CHART AND ADVISED ATC. (IN RETROSPECT, I WAS NOT EXPLICIT ENOUGH WITH THE APCH CTLR, AND THEREFORE IT WAS NOT OBVIOUS TO ATC THAT I DID NOT HAVE EITHER THE STARS OR APCH CHARTS ON BOARD.) ATC ACKNOWLEDGED AND IDENTED SHINE FOR ME AND PROVIDED VECTORS AFTER SHINE INTXN. I WAS HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT APCH CTLR WHO HAD CLRED ME FOR THE ILS RWY 18L AT CLT. AFTER FLYING THROUGH THE LOC TWICE AND BUSTING ALT, IT HAD BECOME OBVIOUS TO THE CTLR THAT THERE WAS A PROB. THE CTLR PROCEEDED TO VECTOR ME TO RWY 18L. SINCE I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, DID NOT HAVE THE LOC DIALED IN, AND HAD NOT ADEQUATELY REVIEWED THE ARPT DIAGRAM, I LINED UP ON THE N AND S TXWY TO RWY 18R BELIEVING IT TO BE RWY 18L. THE TWR REALIZED I WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ARPT AND ADVISED ME THAT RWY 18L IS ON THE E SIDE OF THE TWR AND IS BLACK TOP. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND CROSSED OVER TO THE L. I ADVISED TWR THAT I NOW HAD RWY 18L IN SIGHT. TWR THEN CLRED ME TO LAND. GND CTL ADVISED ME TO CONTACT THE AREA MGR AFTER PARKING. I DISCUSSED THE EVENTS WITH THE AREA MGR VIA THE TELEPHONE. I EXPLAINED THE SIT AND ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONFUSION. HE APPEARED SATISFIED WITH THE EXPLANATION AND I BELIEVED THAT TO BE THE END OF IT. WHILE AWAITING GND XPORTATION, 2 FAA OFFICIALS ARRIVED TO FURTHER DISCUSS THE EVENTS OF THE FLT AND CONDUCTED A RAMP CHK OF THE ACFT. EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER. THEY SUGGESTED I WORK ON INST PROCS AND CONCLUDED THE INTERVIEW.

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.