Narrative:

After conducting some airwork and touch and goes at mhr, I began flying back to homefield, sac. It was dark at this time, and I headed toward what I believed to be sac. After listening to ATIS, I contacted sac executive tower (119.5) and reported my position, altitude and intention to land. I was instructed to enter a right base for runway 30. After a few mins, I still did not have runway in sight, and I was somewhat disoriented. I contribute my disorientation to lack of night flying experience and confirmation of my presence by ATC. I requested vectors for runway 30, and was told to turn right and do a 360 degree turn. I did this. I was told by sac tower that I was #3 to land. I reported that I did not have visual contact with the other traffic. I continued to look for the runway lights. I did then see the runway lights, and ATC said I was #2 to land. I reported right base for runway 30, and then was 'cleared to land' by ATC for runway 30. Over threshold, I saw the runway numbers were 34. I realized at this point I was not at sac. I landed and looked at chart to see where I was. I had landed at mcc -- a military base. After about an hour of questions and paperwork, I was given clearance to depart. While on the ground I asked a controller to call the sac tower to report my location. Upon returning to sac, the controller apologized for the mistake. He did not ask me to call the tower or complete any paperwork. He did say he was sorry, and 'have a good night.' I was at fault for my navigating error, but this was compounded by ATC. If ATC had never seen me or had me on radar, why was I given clearance to land (especially with 2 other aircraft nearby in pattern?) to prevent a recurrence, pilots should be aware that just because it seems like ATC knows where you are, it's not always the case. When I had my doubt to my location, I should have taken action. I did ask for help/assistance in finding the runway, but apparently that was not enough. To correct the situation, I would be interested in reading the controller's report of this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH LNDG AT WRONG ARPT. APCH LNDG DURING A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: AFTER CONDUCTING SOME AIRWORK AND TOUCH AND GOES AT MHR, I BEGAN FLYING BACK TO HOMEFIELD, SAC. IT WAS DARK AT THIS TIME, AND I HEADED TOWARD WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE SAC. AFTER LISTENING TO ATIS, I CONTACTED SAC EXECUTIVE TWR (119.5) AND RPTED MY POS, ALT AND INTENTION TO LAND. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A R BASE FOR RWY 30. AFTER A FEW MINS, I STILL DID NOT HAVE RWY IN SIGHT, AND I WAS SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED. I CONTRIBUTE MY DISORIENTATION TO LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE AND CONFIRMATION OF MY PRESENCE BY ATC. I REQUESTED VECTORS FOR RWY 30, AND WAS TOLD TO TURN R AND DO A 360 DEG TURN. I DID THIS. I WAS TOLD BY SAC TWR THAT I WAS #3 TO LAND. I RPTED THAT I DID NOT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER TFC. I CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR THE RWY LIGHTS. I DID THEN SEE THE RWY LIGHTS, AND ATC SAID I WAS #2 TO LAND. I RPTED R BASE FOR RWY 30, AND THEN WAS 'CLRED TO LAND' BY ATC FOR RWY 30. OVER THRESHOLD, I SAW THE RWY NUMBERS WERE 34. I REALIZED AT THIS POINT I WAS NOT AT SAC. I LANDED AND LOOKED AT CHART TO SEE WHERE I WAS. I HAD LANDED AT MCC -- A MIL BASE. AFTER ABOUT AN HR OF QUESTIONS AND PAPERWORK, I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO DEPART. WHILE ON THE GND I ASKED A CTLR TO CALL THE SAC TWR TO RPT MY LOCATION. UPON RETURNING TO SAC, THE CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISTAKE. HE DID NOT ASK ME TO CALL THE TWR OR COMPLETE ANY PAPERWORK. HE DID SAY HE WAS SORRY, AND 'HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.' I WAS AT FAULT FOR MY NAVING ERROR, BUT THIS WAS COMPOUNDED BY ATC. IF ATC HAD NEVER SEEN ME OR HAD ME ON RADAR, WHY WAS I GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND (ESPECIALLY WITH 2 OTHER ACFT NEARBY IN PATTERN?) TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, PLTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT JUST BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE ATC KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE, IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. WHEN I HAD MY DOUBT TO MY LOCATION, I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION. I DID ASK FOR HELP/ASSISTANCE IN FINDING THE RWY, BUT APPARENTLY THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH. TO CORRECT THE SIT, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN READING THE CTLR'S RPT OF THIS INCIDENT.

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.