Narrative:

I was flying from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2 and landed at ZZZ3 due to being disoriented from my current location. I was unfamiliar from the area and ZZZ2 gave me instructions for a left base for runway xx. I was at 1000 ft; heading 270 degrees; approximately 10 NM northwest of VOR when I received my instructions to land at ZZZ2. Visibility was poor and the first runway I saw was oriented on a runway xy; which I perceived to be runway xx. I was on a short; short final seeing that the runway markings were painted over to show runway 17. I then realized I had the wrong airport and decided the safest thing to do was to land and figure it out on the ground. After being on the ground; I realized I was at a military airfield. I talked to the officials and because I was in the military and flying a military owned C172; I filled out some paperwork and was able to take back off with no problems. There was not any other aircraft in the pattern at the time. I was talking to approach before being handed over to ZZZ2 tower. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is a military helicopter pilot new to fixed wing aircraft. He was solo and when cleared for the visual approach to ZZZ2 had the aeronautical sectional folded so that ZZZ2 was visible but not ZZZ3. With the setting sun and visibility reduced in haze; ZZZ3 was the first southerly runway to come into view and he mistook it for ZZZ2. Approach was providing VFR flight following but neither ZZZ2 nor approach said anything to him about his approaching ZZZ3. He realized his error when he saw that there was nothing around the airport but he reasoned that at that point the safest course was to land and research his location while safely on the ground. The military personnel on duty had him sign a consent release form prior to his departure. He has heard nothing further about the incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 LANDS AT ZZZ3 WITH A ZZZ2 DEST IN DECREASING VISIBILITY NEAR SUNSET.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2 AND LANDED AT ZZZ3 DUE TO BEING DISORIENTED FROM MY CURRENT LOCATION. I WAS UNFAMILIAR FROM THE AREA AND ZZZ2 GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS FOR A L BASE FOR RWY XX. I WAS AT 1000 FT; HDG 270 DEGS; APPROX 10 NM NW OF VOR WHEN I RECEIVED MY INSTRUCTIONS TO LAND AT ZZZ2. VISIBILITY WAS POOR AND THE FIRST RWY I SAW WAS ORIENTED ON A RWY XY; WHICH I PERCEIVED TO BE RWY XX. I WAS ON A SHORT; SHORT FINAL SEEING THAT THE RWY MARKINGS WERE PAINTED OVER TO SHOW RWY 17. I THEN REALIZED I HAD THE WRONG ARPT AND DECIDED THE SAFEST THING TO DO WAS TO LAND AND FIGURE IT OUT ON THE GND. AFTER BEING ON THE GND; I REALIZED I WAS AT A MIL AIRFIELD. I TALKED TO THE OFFICIALS AND BECAUSE I WAS IN THE MIL AND FLYING A MIL OWNED C172; I FILLED OUT SOME PAPERWORK AND WAS ABLE TO TAKE BACK OFF WITH NO PROBS. THERE WAS NOT ANY OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN AT THE TIME. I WAS TALKING TO APCH BEFORE BEING HANDED OVER TO ZZZ2 TWR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A MIL HELI PLT NEW TO FIXED WING ACFT. HE WAS SOLO AND WHEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO ZZZ2 HAD THE AERO SECTIONAL FOLDED SO THAT ZZZ2 WAS VISIBLE BUT NOT ZZZ3. WITH THE SETTING SUN AND VISIBILITY REDUCED IN HAZE; ZZZ3 WAS THE FIRST SOUTHERLY RWY TO COME INTO VIEW AND HE MISTOOK IT FOR ZZZ2. APCH WAS PROVIDING VFR FLT FOLLOWING BUT NEITHER ZZZ2 NOR APCH SAID ANYTHING TO HIM ABOUT HIS APCHING ZZZ3. HE REALIZED HIS ERROR WHEN HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND THE ARPT BUT HE REASONED THAT AT THAT POINT THE SAFEST COURSE WAS TO LAND AND RESEARCH HIS LOCATION WHILE SAFELY ON THE GND. THE MIL PERSONNEL ON DUTY HAD HIM SIGN A CONSENT RELEASE FORM PRIOR TO HIS DEP. HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.