Narrative:

I was descending VFR into montgomery field, san diego, with heavy traffic, under control by the tower. I inadvertently entered a downwind for miramar field, instead of montgomery. The tower corrected me, and gave me instructions to fly southeast, and re-enter a left downwind for runway 28L. My path took me across the approach end of the airport. I flew wide of the downwind, and about the midfield, began to execute a 180 degree to reenter the left downwind when an A36 flew above me in a near midair. I never saw the plane, but unfortunately, it saw me and climbed. I think it was at the wrong altitude for southeast, (he was about 2200 ft, while the pattern for southeast traffic was about 1600 ft) which is lower than it is for me, plus he was very wide for the downwind. Still, I was responsible, first by mistaking miramar for montgomery (the fields are not only close, but are laid out similarly, with 2 parallel runways with an intersecting crosswind runway), and then attempting to execute a non standard entry into the downwind in heavy traffic. The controller never called the traffic, but he was incredibly busy, and only after what I regard as a near midair did he ask if I saw the traffic. This is the second time I have confused miramar for montgomery, despite trying very carefully to distinguish the airports. I will never again attempt to land at montgomery without first flying to the mission viejo VOR, which takes you away from miramar and is the VFR reporting point for montgomery. Nor will I attempt a non standard entry into a heavy traffic environment.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 INBOUND TO MYF MISTAKENLY ENTERS PATTERN FOR NKX RESULTING IN A CONFLICT.

Narrative: I WAS DSNDING VFR INTO MONTGOMERY FIELD, SAN DIEGO, WITH HVY TFC, UNDER CTL BY THE TWR. I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A DOWNWIND FOR MIRAMAR FIELD, INSTEAD OF MONTGOMERY. THE TWR CORRECTED ME, AND GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO FLY SE, AND RE-ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 28L. MY PATH TOOK ME ACROSS THE APCH END OF THE ARPT. I FLEW WIDE OF THE DOWNWIND, AND ABOUT THE MIDFIELD, BEGAN TO EXECUTE A 180 DEG TO REENTER THE L DOWNWIND WHEN AN A36 FLEW ABOVE ME IN A NEAR MIDAIR. I NEVER SAW THE PLANE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT SAW ME AND CLBED. I THINK IT WAS AT THE WRONG ALT FOR SE, (HE WAS ABOUT 2200 FT, WHILE THE PATTERN FOR SE TFC WAS ABOUT 1600 FT) WHICH IS LOWER THAN IT IS FOR ME, PLUS HE WAS VERY WIDE FOR THE DOWNWIND. STILL, I WAS RESPONSIBLE, FIRST BY MISTAKING MIRAMAR FOR MONTGOMERY (THE FIELDS ARE NOT ONLY CLOSE, BUT ARE LAID OUT SIMILARLY, WITH 2 PARALLEL RWYS WITH AN INTERSECTING XWIND RWY), AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE A NON STANDARD ENTRY INTO THE DOWNWIND IN HVY TFC. THE CTLR NEVER CALLED THE TFC, BUT HE WAS INCREDIBLY BUSY, AND ONLY AFTER WHAT I REGARD AS A NEAR MIDAIR DID HE ASK IF I SAW THE TFC. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE CONFUSED MIRAMAR FOR MONTGOMERY, DESPITE TRYING VERY CAREFULLY TO DISTINGUISH THE ARPTS. I WILL NEVER AGAIN ATTEMPT TO LAND AT MONTGOMERY WITHOUT FIRST FLYING TO THE MISSION VIEJO VOR, WHICH TAKES YOU AWAY FROM MIRAMAR AND IS THE VFR RPTING POINT FOR MONTGOMERY. NOR WILL I ATTEMPT A NON STANDARD ENTRY INTO A HVY TFC ENVIRONMENT.

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.