Narrative:

On feb/sat/98, I departed from orange county airport in mgt at approximately XX20 local time intending to fly to cdw in caldwell, nj, where my partner, a 150 hour private pilot, and our wives intended to have dinner at a restaurant on the airport grounds. I was the PF. Navigation to cdw was by GPS. The night was severe clear and cold. I have only 20 hours night experience but was current to fly with passenger on this trip. We received radar advisories from ny approach TRACON and were cleared into the class B airspace at 3500 ft MSL. At GPS 10 mi due north of the field my copilot, partner spotted the rotating beacon at '12 O'clock position.' I concurred. At 6 mi the approach controller stated 'field at 12 O'clock position, 6 mi.' I responded 'in sight' and was instructed to contact the tower. Caldwell tower did not have us in sight on call-up and advised to report mid-field left downwind for runway 22. Nearing the beacon we were still 4 mi GPS from field and off course when I was advised by the tower that I was probably over mmu which is only 6 NM southwest of caldwell airport. I was descending to pattern altitude when I realized my error and probably entered the morristown class D airspace without radio contact with mmu tower. Found cdw and made normal landing. Factors: congested area, many lights on ground. Poor preflight planning. I should have briefed for this problem. Low time at night. Relied on copilot, did not rely on GPS which was accurate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL MISTAKENLY DSNDED DURING A NIGHT FLT INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE OF ANOTHER ARPT THAN THE ONE TO WHICH HE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLRED. THE TWR CTLR OF THE INTENDED ARPT ALERTED HIM TO HIS POSSIBLE MISTAKE SINCE HIS ACFT WAS NOT YET IN SIGHT.

Narrative: ON FEB/SAT/98, I DEPARTED FROM ORANGE COUNTY ARPT IN MGT AT APPROX XX20 LCL TIME INTENDING TO FLY TO CDW IN CALDWELL, NJ, WHERE MY PARTNER, A 150 HR PVT PLT, AND OUR WIVES INTENDED TO HAVE DINNER AT A RESTAURANT ON THE ARPT GNDS. I WAS THE PF. NAV TO CDW WAS BY GPS. THE NIGHT WAS SEVERE CLR AND COLD. I HAVE ONLY 20 HRS NIGHT EXPERIENCE BUT WAS CURRENT TO FLY WITH PAX ON THIS TRIP. WE RECEIVED RADAR ADVISORIES FROM NY APCH TRACON AND WERE CLRED INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 3500 FT MSL. AT GPS 10 MI DUE N OF THE FIELD MY COPLT, PARTNER SPOTTED THE ROTATING BEACON AT '12 O'CLOCK POS.' I CONCURRED. AT 6 MI THE APCH CTLR STATED 'FIELD AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, 6 MI.' I RESPONDED 'IN SIGHT' AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE TWR. CALDWELL TWR DID NOT HAVE US IN SIGHT ON CALL-UP AND ADVISED TO RPT MID-FIELD L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22. NEARING THE BEACON WE WERE STILL 4 MI GPS FROM FIELD AND OFF COURSE WHEN I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT I WAS PROBABLY OVER MMU WHICH IS ONLY 6 NM SW OF CALDWELL ARPT. I WAS DSNDING TO PATTERN ALT WHEN I REALIZED MY ERROR AND PROBABLY ENTERED THE MORRISTOWN CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT WITH MMU TWR. FOUND CDW AND MADE NORMAL LNDG. FACTORS: CONGESTED AREA, MANY LIGHTS ON GND. POOR PREFLT PLANNING. I SHOULD HAVE BRIEFED FOR THIS PROB. LOW TIME AT NIGHT. RELIED ON COPLT, DID NOT RELY ON GPS WHICH WAS ACCURATE.

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.