Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from smf to rdd, after what seemed to be a significant time en route, I had visual contact with an airport beacon. This was early morning, daylight, but still early enough that the airports in the area had not turned them off. There was haze though, conditions were without a doubt VMC. I quickly glanced at the GPS and saw that I was approximately 18 NM from the airport, so I called center and advised them I had the field in sight and they cleared me for a visual approach to rdd. I initiated a rapid descent to 2000 ft, as the GPS was now indicating 12 NM to the station. After descending to 2000 ft and looking at the airport, I determined that it was not my destination. I read the GPS again and then noted that it was reading the distance to the rbl VOR, which is on the filed route. I leveled off and continued, feeling a bit bewildered and disoriented. I am an experienced pilot and this is certainly not indicative of my abilities. Center was concerned and contacted rdd tower to see how I was, as my altitude was low for that en route part of the flight. I was in VMC, at all times and had ground contact. Proceeded to rdd and landed rather upset with myself about this occurrence. The overwhelmingly contributing factor to this event is fatigue. This was the end of a long week, with 2 standup overnight turns involved. I was looking forward to getting home. Even though I did not feel tired, the insidious nature of fatigue had hit me upside the head. We just do not function well in these conditions. I will be more cognizant in the future. I was not used to the standups, as I was on reserve.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT RPTS FATIGUE AND DISORIENTATION AS FACTORS FOR INCORRECT ARPT RECOGNITION.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SMF TO RDD, AFTER WHAT SEEMED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT TIME ENRTE, I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH AN ARPT BEACON. THIS WAS EARLY MORNING, DAYLIGHT, BUT STILL EARLY ENOUGH THAT THE ARPTS IN THE AREA HAD NOT TURNED THEM OFF. THERE WAS HAZE THOUGH, CONDITIONS WERE WITHOUT A DOUBT VMC. I QUICKLY GLANCED AT THE GPS AND SAW THAT I WAS APPROX 18 NM FROM THE ARPT, SO I CALLED CTR AND ADVISED THEM I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND THEY CLRED ME FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RDD. I INITIATED A RAPID DSCNT TO 2000 FT, AS THE GPS WAS NOW INDICATING 12 NM TO THE STATION. AFTER DSNDING TO 2000 FT AND LOOKING AT THE ARPT, I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT MY DEST. I READ THE GPS AGAIN AND THEN NOTED THAT IT WAS READING THE DISTANCE TO THE RBL VOR, WHICH IS ON THE FILED RTE. I LEVELED OFF AND CONTINUED, FEELING A BIT BEWILDERED AND DISORIENTED. I AM AN EXPERIENCED PLT AND THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT INDICATIVE OF MY ABILITIES. CTR WAS CONCERNED AND CONTACTED RDD TWR TO SEE HOW I WAS, AS MY ALT WAS LOW FOR THAT ENRTE PART OF THE FLT. I WAS IN VMC, AT ALL TIMES AND HAD GND CONTACT. PROCEEDED TO RDD AND LANDED RATHER UPSET WITH MYSELF ABOUT THIS OCCURRENCE. THE OVERWHELMINGLY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS EVENT IS FATIGUE. THIS WAS THE END OF A LONG WEEK, WITH 2 STANDUP OVERNIGHT TURNS INVOLVED. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING HOME. EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT FEEL TIRED, THE INSIDIOUS NATURE OF FATIGUE HAD HIT ME UPSIDE THE HEAD. WE JUST DO NOT FUNCTION WELL IN THESE CONDITIONS. I WILL BE MORE COGNIZANT IN THE FUTURE. I WAS NOT USED TO THE STANDUPS, AS I WAS ON RESERVE.

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.