An spi in an small aircraft landed at the wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	356750
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : evv
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : owb tower : evv tower : tpa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 60
ASRS Report	356750
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying my long cross country training flight when I was vectored around fort knox military base. They forgot about me and I got too far north. I made a bad decision by not flying directly to the mystic VOR, instead I stayed on the wrong side of the river. When I got to within 10 mi of owensboro, I told them where I was. I was then told by owensboro tower that runway 18 was in use and I was cleared to land. I looked down and saw runway 18 and started to set my approach when I noticed a plane in the pattern below me, so I told them I was going to do a go around. I did my go around and I landed when I heard owensboro say they didn't know or see me. I looked over to the terminal and saw evansville and knew that I was at the wrong airport. I was very fortunate that I didn't cause an accident, which I could have been killed or cause someone else to be hurt. I was severely reprimanded and refueled and sent on my way. Even though the decisions that were made were bad, I feel that the owensboro tower should not have told me to land without seeing me. I always say 'student pilot' and louisville forgot about me and I got too far off my heading. As PIC I didn't make good decisions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SPI IN AN SMA LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING MY LONG XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT WHEN I WAS VECTORED AROUND FORT KNOX MIL BASE. THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME AND I GOT TOO FAR N. I MADE A BAD DECISION BY NOT FLYING DIRECTLY TO THE MYSTIC VOR, INSTEAD I STAYED ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER. WHEN I GOT TO WITHIN 10 MI OF OWENSBORO, I TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS. I WAS THEN TOLD BY OWENSBORO TWR THAT RWY 18 WAS IN USE AND I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW RWY 18 AND STARTED TO SET MY APCH WHEN I NOTICED A PLANE IN THE PATTERN BELOW ME, SO I TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO DO A GAR. I DID MY GAR AND I LANDED WHEN I HEARD OWENSBORO SAY THEY DIDN'T KNOW OR SEE ME. I LOOKED OVER TO THE TERMINAL AND SAW EVANSVILLE AND KNEW THAT I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, WHICH I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE TO BE HURT. I WAS SEVERELY REPRIMANDED AND REFUELED AND SENT ON MY WAY. EVEN THOUGH THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WERE BAD, I FEEL THAT THE OWENSBORO TWR SHOULD NOT HAVE TOLD ME TO LAND WITHOUT SEEING ME. I ALWAYS SAY 'STUDENT PLT' AND LOUISVILLE FORGOT ABOUT ME AND I GOT TOO FAR OFF MY HDG. AS PIC I DIDN'T MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.

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.