<< >> NASA ASRS Report 403900, May 1998

After canceling an IFR flight plan, pilot of mooney M20J landed at the wrong airport. The airports were similarly situated in line with each other in the same direction. Approach controller stated that the reporter's intended airport was at his 12 O'clock position and reporter replied that he had it in sight. However, it was closer to him than his intended airport.

Attributes
ACN	403900
Time
Date	199805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : al15 airport : nbj
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 J (201)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	403900
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

I had canceled my IFR flight plan and was VFR, no plan, and in contact with approach, pensacola. I told them I was landing at jack edwards. They said I should see it at my 12 O'clock position. I said I see the airport right in front of me. The controller did not respond to this statement, so I assumed that it was jack edwards. I landed without incident and discovered it was nolf barin. Ground personnel stated that this happens on a regular basis. I think approach control might be helpful in assisting with distinguishing these 2 airports from each other.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER CANCELING AN IFR FLT PLAN, PLT OF MOONEY M20J LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT. THE ARPTS WERE SIMILARLY SITUATED IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER IN THE SAME DIRECTION. APCH CTLR STATED THAT THE RPTR'S INTENDED ARPT WAS AT HIS 12 O'CLOCK POS AND RPTR REPLIED THAT HE HAD IT IN SIGHT. HOWEVER, IT WAS CLOSER TO HIM THAN HIS INTENDED ARPT.

Narrative: I HAD CANCELED MY IFR FLT PLAN AND WAS VFR, NO PLAN, AND IN CONTACT WITH APCH, PENSACOLA. I TOLD THEM I WAS LNDG AT JACK EDWARDS. THEY SAID I SHOULD SEE IT AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS. I SAID I SEE THE ARPT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND TO THIS STATEMENT, SO I ASSUMED THAT IT WAS JACK EDWARDS. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND DISCOVERED IT WAS NOLF BARIN. GND PERSONNEL STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASIS. I THINK APCH CTL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN ASSISTING WITH DISTINGUISHING THESE 2 ARPTS FROM EACH OTHER.

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.