Pilot of M20-C uses wrong GPS coordinates and lands at wrong airport. Discovered after the fact.

Attributes
ACN	371169
Time
Date	199706
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : avo
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 B/C Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 115 flight time type : 13
ASRS Report	371169
Events
Anomaly	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:

VFR practice/pleasure flight -- misidented an airport for landing in class east/G airspace as another intended airport. Both have similar runway configns and are located on north side of town. First time flight to either airport. Overflew airport when no response to 'traffic' calls was received to check for traffic and wind direction. Made all 'traffic' radio xmissions indicating approach and intent to enter the landing pattern mis-identing airport. Executed 1 touch and go and departed area. Correct and 'incorrect' airfields were 18 NM apart. Error due to: incorrect coordinates entered in VFR GPS. Reliance on one form of navigation rather than xchk with pilotage and vors, etc. Pilot not looking outside to visually confirm location. Discovered when rechking sectional versus outside landmarks. Factors affecting situation: pilot was focused on flying a complex aircraft and setting up for practice landing (only 12 hours time in type). Lessons learned: pilot can't rely on one means of navigation and must get positive identify on airports. Further, pilot should have questioned early time of arrival. Very dangerous situation because aircraft in vicinity of airport would not have heard my xmissions because of different CTAF's for the 2 airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF M20-C USES WRONG GPS COORDINATES AND LANDS AT WRONG ARPT. DISCOVERED AFTER THE FACT.

Narrative: VFR PRACTICE/PLEASURE FLT -- MISIDENTED AN ARPT FOR LNDG IN CLASS E/G AIRSPACE AS ANOTHER INTENDED ARPT. BOTH HAVE SIMILAR RWY CONFIGNS AND ARE LOCATED ON N SIDE OF TOWN. FIRST TIME FLT TO EITHER ARPT. OVERFLEW ARPT WHEN NO RESPONSE TO 'TFC' CALLS WAS RECEIVED TO CHK FOR TFC AND WIND DIRECTION. MADE ALL 'TFC' RADIO XMISSIONS INDICATING APCH AND INTENT TO ENTER THE LNDG PATTERN MIS-IDENTING ARPT. EXECUTED 1 TOUCH AND GO AND DEPARTED AREA. CORRECT AND 'INCORRECT' AIRFIELDS WERE 18 NM APART. ERROR DUE TO: INCORRECT COORDINATES ENTERED IN VFR GPS. RELIANCE ON ONE FORM OF NAV RATHER THAN XCHK WITH PILOTAGE AND VORS, ETC. PLT NOT LOOKING OUTSIDE TO VISUALLY CONFIRM LOCATION. DISCOVERED WHEN RECHKING SECTIONAL VERSUS OUTSIDE LANDMARKS. FACTORS AFFECTING SIT: PLT WAS FOCUSED ON FLYING A COMPLEX ACFT AND SETTING UP FOR PRACTICE LNDG (ONLY 12 HRS TIME IN TYPE). LESSONS LEARNED: PLT CAN'T RELY ON ONE MEANS OF NAV AND MUST GET POSITIVE IDENT ON ARPTS. FURTHER, PLT SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED EARLY TIME OF ARR. VERY DANGEROUS SIT BECAUSE ACFT IN VICINITY OF ARPT WOULD NOT HAVE HEARD MY XMISSIONS BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT CTAF'S FOR THE 2 ARPTS.

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.