VFR pilot attempting to land sdm mistakenly lands at tijuana, mexico.

Attributes
ACN	588133
Time
Date	200307
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmtj.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : mmtj.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	HS 125 Series 700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	588133
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry incursion : runway incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I departed san (san diego) about XA30 with no passenger, en route to brown field (sdm). As we were vectored across the california coastline, pilot reported 'airport in sight' and advised me to cancel our flight plan. Proceeding visually east, I asked where the airport was. Captain replied 'just to your right.' captain was looking at tijuana international while we were actually just north of brown field. Having pilot controled lighting, brown field was not lit, leaving tijuana the only visible airport locally. As we turned right base for runway 27 at tijuana, I glanced at our FMS and verified we were less than 1 mi from brown field, which was actually just behind us now. After landing, it soon became apparent we were not at brown. We taxied clear and did the necessary procedures to clear out of mexico. Approximately XA00, we were allowed to depart to brown field. I believe human error was the main cause.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PLT ATTEMPTING TO LAND SDM MISTAKENLY LANDS AT TIJUANA, MEXICO.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SAN (SAN DIEGO) ABOUT XA30 WITH NO PAX, ENRTE TO BROWN FIELD (SDM). AS WE WERE VECTORED ACROSS THE CALIFORNIA COASTLINE, PLT RPTED 'ARPT IN SIGHT' AND ADVISED ME TO CANCEL OUR FLT PLAN. PROCEEDING VISUALLY E, I ASKED WHERE THE ARPT WAS. CAPT REPLIED 'JUST TO YOUR R.' CAPT WAS LOOKING AT TIJUANA INTL WHILE WE WERE ACTUALLY JUST N OF BROWN FIELD. HAVING PLT CTLED LIGHTING, BROWN FIELD WAS NOT LIT, LEAVING TIJUANA THE ONLY VISIBLE ARPT LOCALLY. AS WE TURNED R BASE FOR RWY 27 AT TIJUANA, I GLANCED AT OUR FMS AND VERIFIED WE WERE LESS THAN 1 MI FROM BROWN FIELD, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY JUST BEHIND US NOW. AFTER LNDG, IT SOON BECAME APPARENT WE WERE NOT AT BROWN. WE TAXIED CLR AND DID THE NECESSARY PROCS TO CLR OUT OF MEXICO. APPROX XA00, WE WERE ALLOWED TO DEPART TO BROWN FIELD. I BELIEVE HUMAN ERROR WAS THE MAIN CAUSE.

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.