PA28 student pilot lands at wrong airport in cmi airspace.

Attributes
ACN	422574
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 72 flight time type : 31
ASRS Report	422574
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a cross country from laf-bmg-dec. On the leg from bmg-dec, I was off course without realization. On approach to what I thought was dec, I contacted dec tower on frequency 118.9. I was given permission to land on runway 30. Upon my arrival at the ground, I realized that the runway that I was approaching was runway 32. I landed for a touch-and-go and contacted dec tower again for a north departure. When they asked for my current location, I replied that I was above the numbers '14L.' dec tower informed me that they have no such runway and referred me to champaign approach. At this point I was able to contact champaign and they gave me vectors to dec. The remainder of the cross country went as planned. On review of the flight, I realized that I overrelied on the NDB out of terre haute. As a result, I missed several chkpoints and ended well north of my course. The reason that I continued my landing was because I saw an approaching plane on final on an intersecting runway. I felt that a go around would be unsafe. When I realized that the aircraft on final deviated somewhat from final, I continued the touch-and-go and proceeded as scheduled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 STUDENT PLT LANDS AT WRONG ARPT IN CMI AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS ON A XCOUNTRY FROM LAF-BMG-DEC. ON THE LEG FROM BMG-DEC, I WAS OFF COURSE WITHOUT REALIZATION. ON APCH TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS DEC, I CONTACTED DEC TWR ON FREQ 118.9. I WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO LAND ON RWY 30. UPON MY ARR AT THE GND, I REALIZED THAT THE RWY THAT I WAS APCHING WAS RWY 32. I LANDED FOR A TOUCH-AND-GO AND CONTACTED DEC TWR AGAIN FOR A N DEP. WHEN THEY ASKED FOR MY CURRENT LOCATION, I REPLIED THAT I WAS ABOVE THE NUMBERS '14L.' DEC TWR INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE NO SUCH RWY AND REFERRED ME TO CHAMPAIGN APCH. AT THIS POINT I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT CHAMPAIGN AND THEY GAVE ME VECTORS TO DEC. THE REMAINDER OF THE XCOUNTRY WENT AS PLANNED. ON REVIEW OF THE FLT, I REALIZED THAT I OVERRELIED ON THE NDB OUT OF TERRE HAUTE. AS A RESULT, I MISSED SEVERAL CHKPOINTS AND ENDED WELL N OF MY COURSE. THE REASON THAT I CONTINUED MY LNDG WAS BECAUSE I SAW AN APCHING PLANE ON FINAL ON AN INTERSECTING RWY. I FELT THAT A GAR WOULD BE UNSAFE. WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE ACFT ON FINAL DEVIATED SOMEWHAT FROM FINAL, I CONTINUED THE TOUCH-AND-GO AND PROCEEDED AS SCHEDULED.

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.