A C172 pilot became disoriented in severe turbulence and landed without a clearance at twf; thinking...

Attributes
ACN	734252
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : twf.airport
State Reference	ID
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Windshear
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 125 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	734252
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : turbulence 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 Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were in an unpopulated area with no control services available. I tried calling center; FSS; and twin falls tower and received no response. The turbulence became severe and we were losing altitude. I found myself a little disoriented and scared to continue to pocatello. I looked on the sectional and found a small airport in jerome; identification. It is uncontrolled and due to the bouncing dangerous turbulence I found it hard to read the map correctly. I called up the twin falls tower many times and received no response. I found the field; which I thought was jerome; but really was twin falls. I announced on the wrong CTAF my base; final and landing intentions. I landed without any tower clearance to look to my left to see a tower. I then realized that I was not in jerome; but had made it as far as twin falls. As I left the runway I tuned in the correct frequency for twin falls tower and told him that I was very sorry. He reminded me of the correct way of entering a pattern and told me that he had to divert another incoming aircraft. He was nice and understanding and the situation ended there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED IN SEVERE TURBULENCE AND LANDED WITHOUT A CLEARANCE AT TWF; THINKING IT WAS JER.

Narrative: WE WERE IN AN UNPOPULATED AREA WITH NO CTL SVCS AVAILABLE. I TRIED CALLING CTR; FSS; AND TWIN FALLS TWR AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THE TURB BECAME SEVERE AND WE WERE LOSING ALT. I FOUND MYSELF A LITTLE DISORIENTED AND SCARED TO CONTINUE TO POCATELLO. I LOOKED ON THE SECTIONAL AND FOUND A SMALL ARPT IN JEROME; ID. IT IS UNCONTROLLED AND DUE TO THE BOUNCING DANGEROUS TURB I FOUND IT HARD TO READ THE MAP CORRECTLY. I CALLED UP THE TWIN FALLS TWR MANY TIMES AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. I FOUND THE FIELD; WHICH I THOUGHT WAS JEROME; BUT REALLY WAS TWIN FALLS. I ANNOUNCED ON THE WRONG CTAF MY BASE; FINAL AND LNDG INTENTIONS. I LANDED WITHOUT ANY TWR CLRNC TO LOOK TO MY L TO SEE A TWR. I THEN REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT IN JEROME; BUT HAD MADE IT AS FAR AS TWIN FALLS. AS I LEFT THE RWY I TUNED IN THE CORRECT FREQ FOR TWIN FALLS TWR AND TOLD HIM THAT I WAS VERY SORRY. HE REMINDED ME OF THE CORRECT WAY OF ENTERING A PATTERN AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAD TO DIVERT ANOTHER INCOMING ACFT. HE WAS NICE AND UNDERSTANDING AND THE SITUATION ENDED THERE.

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.

A C172 pilot became disoriented in severe turbulence and landed without a clearance at twf; thinking it was jer.