PA28 entered sjc class C airspace while making approach to rhv.

Attributes
ACN	615910
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rhv.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 75
ASRS Report	615910
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : became reoriented
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 was on my way to rhv, inbound and cleared for runway 31L. At least this is the situation as it appeared to be at that time. The fact is that I was mistakenly approaching sjc. I was in radio contact with rhv all the time and rhv asked for my position 2 times and change my landing clearance from runway 31L to runway 31R. It was at the second radio call that I realized I was at the wrong airport. I was considering contacting sjc at this point in time, but since I was not aware of the tower frequency, I decided to turn around instantly instead, out of fear of huge aircraft. I turned about 140 degrees over my right shoulder and informed rhv of my situation while entering the pattern on a right downwind, runway 31R. Upon arrival at my destination, I immediately contacted sjc tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 ENTERED SJC CLASS C AIRSPACE WHILE MAKING APCH TO RHV.

Narrative: I WAS ON MY WAY TO RHV, INBOUND AND CLRED FOR RWY 31L. AT LEAST THIS IS THE SIT AS IT APPEARED TO BE AT THAT TIME. THE FACT IS THAT I WAS MISTAKENLY APCHING SJC. I WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH RHV ALL THE TIME AND RHV ASKED FOR MY POS 2 TIMES AND CHANGE MY LNDG CLRNC FROM RWY 31L TO RWY 31R. IT WAS AT THE SECOND RADIO CALL THAT I REALIZED I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. I WAS CONSIDERING CONTACTING SJC AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT SINCE I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TWR FREQ, I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND INSTANTLY INSTEAD, OUT OF FEAR OF HUGE ACFT. I TURNED ABOUT 140 DEGS OVER MY R SHOULDER AND INFORMED RHV OF MY SIT WHILE ENTERING THE PATTERN ON A R DOWNWIND, RWY 31R. UPON ARR AT MY DEST, I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED SJC TWR.

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.