Private pilot of an RV6 amateur built aircraft became disoriented and entered downwind leg for the w...

Attributes
ACN	422922
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vny airport : whp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : whp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 490 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	422922
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
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
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

6 NM final for whp runway 12. Report whp control tower. Control tower advised left traffic for runway 30. Report 118 fwy. The pilot's guide shows right traffic for runway 30. I did not know location of 118 fwy. Asked control tower for fwy 18? Advised 118. I did not look at moving map GPS any more. Postflt review shows that runway extended centerline from whp and vny line up at my location. Looking at fwys and talking to control tower, I did not doublechk position against moving map GPS. When I reached downwind, I was cleared to land. Having landed at whp 2 times previous, I recognized that I was at wrong airport. GPS indicated vny. Reported to control tower and requested frequency change. Told vny control tower we were downwind at wrong airport. Requested direct whp. Given right turn to north out of area. Given frequency change and I thanked ATC for the help and apologized for incursion. Landed with clearance safely at whp. Whp control tower apologized for error. Lessons learned: I was taught to aviate, navigation, communicate. I was: aviate, communicate and let ATC navigation. Did not back up navigation with moving map GPS. Was flying too fast. 160 KTS too fast in this airspace. Slow down to 100-120 KTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN RV6 AMATEUR BUILT ACFT BECAME DISORIENTED AND ENTERED DOWNWIND LEG FOR THE WRONG ARPT. HE RECOGNIZED HIS MISTAKE AND TUNED IN TO THE ARPT TWR ADVISING OF HIS MISTAKE AND WAS GIVEN A HDG TO THE INTENDED ARPT.

Narrative: 6 NM FINAL FOR WHP RWY 12. RPT WHP CTL TWR. CTL TWR ADVISED L TFC FOR RWY 30. RPT 118 FWY. THE PLT'S GUIDE SHOWS R TFC FOR RWY 30. I DID NOT KNOW LOCATION OF 118 FWY. ASKED CTL TWR FOR FWY 18? ADVISED 118. I DID NOT LOOK AT MOVING MAP GPS ANY MORE. POSTFLT REVIEW SHOWS THAT RWY EXTENDED CTRLINE FROM WHP AND VNY LINE UP AT MY LOCATION. LOOKING AT FWYS AND TALKING TO CTL TWR, I DID NOT DOUBLECHK POS AGAINST MOVING MAP GPS. WHEN I REACHED DOWNWIND, I WAS CLRED TO LAND. HAVING LANDED AT WHP 2 TIMES PREVIOUS, I RECOGNIZED THAT I WAS AT WRONG ARPT. GPS INDICATED VNY. RPTED TO CTL TWR AND REQUESTED FREQ CHANGE. TOLD VNY CTL TWR WE WERE DOWNWIND AT WRONG ARPT. REQUESTED DIRECT WHP. GIVEN R TURN TO N OUT OF AREA. GIVEN FREQ CHANGE AND I THANKED ATC FOR THE HELP AND APOLOGIZED FOR INCURSION. LANDED WITH CLRNC SAFELY AT WHP. WHP CTL TWR APOLOGIZED FOR ERROR. LESSONS LEARNED: I WAS TAUGHT TO AVIATE, NAV, COMMUNICATE. I WAS: AVIATE, COMMUNICATE AND LET ATC NAV. DID NOT BACK UP NAV WITH MOVING MAP GPS. WAS FLYING TOO FAST. 160 KTS TOO FAST IN THIS AIRSPACE. SLOW DOWN TO 100-120 KTS.

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.

Private pilot of an RV6 amateur built aircraft became disoriented and entered downwind leg for the wrong airport. He recognized his mistake and tuned in to the airport tower advising of his mistake and was given a heading to the intended airport.