Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight from I20 to M88. Approximately 20 mi out, I was turned 10 degrees to the right, vector to final and told to expect visual approach to cornelia airpark. At some point radio contact was lost and I realized approach could not reach me. I attempted to reach approach but was unable and a second aircraft contacted me and relayed that approach wanted to know if I had the field in sight. I told them I did and that I would cancel IFR. At this point approach heard my transmission and had me squawk 1200/frequency change approved. The airport I had in sight was bna and not M88. I had already overflown my destination and did not realize it since 'I was on a vector.' as I turned final to runway 13 at bna, I realized that the runway was large. On short final I then saw the tower! It was too late to correct my error as I had already violated the tower's airspace. Not having the approach plates out and no time to get tower frequency. I turned on my landing light and tower gave a 'green light.' I landed. Ground was not surprised to hear from me as the TRACON controller obviously told them I was headed to the wrong airport. Ground said 'no problem, we saw you coming and gave you the green light. What's your intentions?' after some very, very embarrassing conversation I elected to stay at bna, instead of departing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MOONEY EXECUTIVE PLT LOST, THEN ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT, WITH BNA TRACON WHILE ON VECTORS AND LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT, BNA.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT FROM I20 TO M88. APPROX 20 MI OUT, I WAS TURNED 10 DEGS TO THE R, VECTOR TO FINAL AND TOLD TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH TO CORNELIA AIRPARK. AT SOME POINT RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST AND I REALIZED APCH COULD NOT REACH ME. I ATTEMPTED TO REACH APCH BUT WAS UNABLE AND A SECOND ACFT CONTACTED ME AND RELAYED THAT APCH WANTED TO KNOW IF I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. I TOLD THEM I DID AND THAT I WOULD CANCEL IFR. AT THIS POINT APCH HEARD MY XMISSION AND HAD ME SQUAWK 1200/FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. THE ARPT I HAD IN SIGHT WAS BNA AND NOT M88. I HAD ALREADY OVERFLOWN MY DEST AND DID NOT REALIZE IT SINCE 'I WAS ON A VECTOR.' AS I TURNED FINAL TO RWY 13 AT BNA, I REALIZED THAT THE RWY WAS LARGE. ON SHORT FINAL I THEN SAW THE TWR! IT WAS TOO LATE TO CORRECT MY ERROR AS I HAD ALREADY VIOLATED THE TWR'S AIRSPACE. NOT HAVING THE APCH PLATES OUT AND NO TIME TO GET TWR FREQ. I TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT AND TWR GAVE A 'GREEN LIGHT.' I LANDED. GND WAS NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM ME AS THE TRACON CTLR OBVIOUSLY TOLD THEM I WAS HEADED TO THE WRONG ARPT. GND SAID 'NO PROB, WE SAW YOU COMING AND GAVE YOU THE GREEN LIGHT. WHAT'S YOUR INTENTIONS?' AFTER SOME VERY, VERY EMBARRASSING CONVERSATION I ELECTED TO STAY AT BNA, INSTEAD OF DEPARTING.

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.