Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan (route: pdz.jli.V458.ipl). The ASOS WX at imperial was visibility 10 mi, clear below 12000 ft, winds calm. At 5 NM east of kumba intersection, I saw, what I thought was imperial airport. I then canceled the IFR flight plan and reviewed the airport diagram and runway layout. I planned for a straight in runway 8 and announced my intention on CTAF frequency. At 4 NM out I could see runway 8 and again announced my intention. After landing I cleared the runway to the right (south) and noticed on the far end (southeast corner) a couple of military aircraft. I quickly reviewed the low altitude en route chart and realized that I had landed at the wrong airport. I had landed at el centro instead of imperial airport. I then called ZLA and asked for el centro's tower frequency. I then called el centro tower and told him of my mistake. El centro tower replied, 'this mistake happens on a weekly basis and not to worry, that there will be no action or violation taken, except that I needed to sign an airport liability form in case of something would happen during the departure.' I then shut the engine down and within a few mins a person came up to the aircraft and handed me the liability form which I signed and dated. When the person cleared the area, I started the engine, called the tower. The tower cleared me for takeoff on runway 8. After departure I requested a frequency change and proceeded to imperial airport without further incident. I would like to say that el centro and imperial airport is 4.7 NM apart and the airport layout is very similar. If any pilot (including myself) is unfamiliar with the area it would be prudent to fly the published VOR approach into imperial. This procedure I believe would assure the pilot of not making this mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A TURBOPROP CARGO ACFT MISTAKENLY LANDS AT THE WRONG ARPT AND ONE WHICH IS A MIL BASE. THEREFORE, NOT ONLY LANDED WITHOUT A CLRNC, BUT LANDED WITHOUT MIL PERMISSION.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN (RTE: PDZ.JLI.V458.IPL). THE ASOS WX AT IMPERIAL WAS VISIBILITY 10 MI, CLR BELOW 12000 FT, WINDS CALM. AT 5 NM E OF KUMBA INTXN, I SAW, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPERIAL ARPT. I THEN CANCELED THE IFR FLT PLAN AND REVIEWED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND RWY LAYOUT. I PLANNED FOR A STRAIGHT IN RWY 8 AND ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION ON CTAF FREQ. AT 4 NM OUT I COULD SEE RWY 8 AND AGAIN ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION. AFTER LNDG I CLRED THE RWY TO THE R (S) AND NOTICED ON THE FAR END (SE CORNER) A COUPLE OF MIL ACFT. I QUICKLY REVIEWED THE LOW ALT ENRTE CHART AND REALIZED THAT I HAD LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT. I HAD LANDED AT EL CENTRO INSTEAD OF IMPERIAL ARPT. I THEN CALLED ZLA AND ASKED FOR EL CENTRO'S TWR FREQ. I THEN CALLED EL CENTRO TWR AND TOLD HIM OF MY MISTAKE. EL CENTRO TWR REPLIED, 'THIS MISTAKE HAPPENS ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND NOT TO WORRY, THAT THERE WILL BE NO ACTION OR VIOLATION TAKEN, EXCEPT THAT I NEEDED TO SIGN AN ARPT LIABILITY FORM IN CASE OF SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN DURING THE DEP.' I THEN SHUT THE ENG DOWN AND WITHIN A FEW MINS A PERSON CAME UP TO THE ACFT AND HANDED ME THE LIABILITY FORM WHICH I SIGNED AND DATED. WHEN THE PERSON CLRED THE AREA, I STARTED THE ENG, CALLED THE TWR. THE TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 8. AFTER DEP I REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE AND PROCEEDED TO IMPERIAL ARPT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT EL CENTRO AND IMPERIAL ARPT IS 4.7 NM APART AND THE ARPT LAYOUT IS VERY SIMILAR. IF ANY PLT (INCLUDING MYSELF) IS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO FLY THE PUBLISHED VOR APCH INTO IMPERIAL. THIS PROC I BELIEVE WOULD ASSURE THE PLT OF NOT MAKING THIS MISTAKE.

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.