An small aircraft pilot, mistaking kmcf for tpf entered their class D airspace without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	533600
Time
Date	200112
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mcf.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	military facility : mcf.milfac tracon : tpa.tracon tower : spg.tower tower : ssf.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 149
ASRS Report	533600
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On departing lakeland to return to peter O'knight, I obtained flight following and clearance for tampa class B airspace from tampa approach. Due to the winds, I was planning to land on runway 17 at peter O'knight. Approximately 5-8 mi out, ATC cleared me for descent at my discretion from my en route altitude of 2500 ft. ATC asked me if I had the airport in sight. I looked ahead and saw what I thought was runway 3/21 at peter O'knight and replied that I did. ATC directed to squawk VFR and approved a frequency change. I continued to descend what I thought was peter O'knight looking for runway 17. As I got closer, I began to realize that the airport didn't look right -- the main runway was too long, and what I was trying to see as runway 17 was in fact a taxiway. At this point, I realized that I was at the wrong airport. Looking at my sectional chart, I first contacted whitted (spg) tower and advised them that I may have violated their airspace. The tower replied that I was not in sight and suggested I contact macdill. I then contacted macdill (mcf) tower with the same message. They confirmed my presence and requested that I exit the airspace as soon as possible. Using my GPS, I then flew directly to peter O'knight and landed. Contributing factors were: the close proximity of macdill to peter O'knight. The identical orientation of the main runways. Macdill was along my line of flight. Pilot's unfamiliarity flying in areas with many airports close together. Pilot's preoccupation with using ATC correctly. Pilot's failure to confirm his position by using the available navigation instruments (GPS) after sighting the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT, MISTAKING KMCF FOR TPF ENTERED THEIR CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: ON DEPARTING LAKELAND TO RETURN TO PETER O'KNIGHT, I OBTAINED FLT FOLLOWING AND CLRNC FOR TAMPA CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM TAMPA APCH. DUE TO THE WINDS, I WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON RWY 17 AT PETER O'KNIGHT. APPROX 5-8 MI OUT, ATC CLRED ME FOR DSCNT AT MY DISCRETION FROM MY ENRTE ALT OF 2500 FT. ATC ASKED ME IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I LOOKED AHEAD AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 3/21 AT PETER O'KNIGHT AND REPLIED THAT I DID. ATC DIRECTED TO SQUAWK VFR AND APPROVED A FREQ CHANGE. I CONTINUED TO DSND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS PETER O'KNIGHT LOOKING FOR RWY 17. AS I GOT CLOSER, I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THE ARPT DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT -- THE MAIN RWY WAS TOO LONG, AND WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SEE AS RWY 17 WAS IN FACT A TXWY. AT THIS POINT, I REALIZED THAT I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. LOOKING AT MY SECTIONAL CHART, I FIRST CONTACTED WHITTED (SPG) TWR AND ADVISED THEM THAT I MAY HAVE VIOLATED THEIR AIRSPACE. THE TWR REPLIED THAT I WAS NOT IN SIGHT AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT MACDILL. I THEN CONTACTED MACDILL (MCF) TWR WITH THE SAME MESSAGE. THEY CONFIRMED MY PRESENCE AND REQUESTED THAT I EXIT THE AIRSPACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. USING MY GPS, I THEN FLEW DIRECTLY TO PETER O'KNIGHT AND LANDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE CLOSE PROX OF MACDILL TO PETER O'KNIGHT. THE IDENTICAL ORIENTATION OF THE MAIN RWYS. MACDILL WAS ALONG MY LINE OF FLT. PLT'S UNFAMILIARITY FLYING IN AREAS WITH MANY ARPTS CLOSE TOGETHER. PLT'S PREOCCUPATION WITH USING ATC CORRECTLY. PLT'S FAILURE TO CONFIRM HIS POS BY USING THE AVAILABLE NAV INSTS (GPS) AFTER SIGHTING THE ARPT.

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.