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Private pilot of a C172 approached to land at the wrong airport due the haze and dusk lighting conditions. Pilot observed the runway number, even though similarly aligned, was different, alerting him to the mistake. Sun position, haze, and flooding contributed to pilot's disorientation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 373110 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199707 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tpl airport : gtu |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu tower : hlr |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 140 flight time type : 120 |
| ASRS Report | 373110 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on training flight to practice pilotage, I had difficulty finding gtu due, for the most part, to the direct western sun (near dusk) and the residual haze. The landmarks I was use to using -- mainly lakes and rivers - - were affected by recent flooding. The airport I thought was gtu (after homing in on the beacon) was tpl. During my search, I may have inadvertently penetrated sua (R6302A) and class D airspace, approximately 15 mi from where I thought I was. Discovered: during approach to landing. Runways are aligned similarly though numbers are different. Contributing factors: haze, sun, also aircraft had no DME and its LORAN and ADF were inoperative. When I realized I was having difficulty finding the airport, I should have climbed and made a fix via VOR radials. Similarly, I should have realized sooner I was lost.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 APCHED TO LAND AT THE WRONG ARPT DUE THE HAZE AND DUSK LIGHTING CONDITIONS. PLT OBSERVED THE RWY NUMBER, EVEN THOUGH SIMILARLY ALIGNED, WAS DIFFERENT, ALERTING HIM TO THE MISTAKE. SUN POS, HAZE, AND FLOODING CONTRIBUTED TO PLT'S DISORIENTATION.
Narrative: WHILE ON TRAINING FLT TO PRACTICE PILOTAGE, I HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING GTU DUE, FOR THE MOST PART, TO THE DIRECT WESTERN SUN (NEAR DUSK) AND THE RESIDUAL HAZE. THE LANDMARKS I WAS USE TO USING -- MAINLY LAKES AND RIVERS - - WERE AFFECTED BY RECENT FLOODING. THE ARPT I THOUGHT WAS GTU (AFTER HOMING IN ON THE BEACON) WAS TPL. DURING MY SEARCH, I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED SUA (R6302A) AND CLASS D AIRSPACE, APPROX 15 MI FROM WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS. DISCOVERED: DURING APCH TO LNDG. RWYS ARE ALIGNED SIMILARLY THOUGH NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: HAZE, SUN, ALSO ACFT HAD NO DME AND ITS LORAN AND ADF WERE INOP. WHEN I REALIZED I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING THE ARPT, I SHOULD HAVE CLBED AND MADE A FIX VIA VOR RADIALS. SIMILARLY, I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED SOONER I WAS LOST.
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.