Narrative:

I had been talking to ny approach during the entire flight to my intended destination; mgj (orange county). As I crossed the hudson river at 3500 ft MSL; control said to report airport in sight. I saw an airport at my 12 O'clock position; which looked like mgj; so I reported. Control approved my switching over to local traffic; and I did so. I announced myself on the common traffic frequency; descended to pattern altitude; and joined the downwind for runway 26 on a 45 degree approach. As I flew my downwind and base leg; announcing myself all along; there were certain visual cues that looked out of place; but because I was already in the pattern; and now turning final; I thought I should just continue. I saw a green light from the tower (another hint; mgj was non-controled) and so I passed over the runway threshold and saw I was about to land on runway 27; I knew I had definitely made a mistake and landed at the wrong airport. Although I knew that certain factors did not add up; such as seeing a B747 and C5's parked on the field; in my mind I had to be in the right place. I looked at the sectional; and it all looked right. I thought that there was no turning back once I was in the pattern; and still wasn't completely sure I was in the wrong place until I saw the runway numbers. I had never been to mgj before; so I was willing to believe that this could have been it; even though so many visual cues said otherwise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED PRIVATE C172 PLT LANDS AT LARGE ARPT NEAR TO -- BUT NOT -- HIS DESTINATION.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN TALKING TO NY APCH DURING THE ENTIRE FLT TO MY INTENDED DEST; MGJ (ORANGE COUNTY). AS I CROSSED THE HUDSON RIVER AT 3500 FT MSL; CTL SAID TO RPT ARPT IN SIGHT. I SAW AN ARPT AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS; WHICH LOOKED LIKE MGJ; SO I RPTED. CTL APPROVED MY SWITCHING OVER TO LCL TFC; AND I DID SO. I ANNOUNCED MYSELF ON THE COMMON TFC FREQ; DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT; AND JOINED THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26 ON A 45 DEG APCH. AS I FLEW MY DOWNWIND AND BASE LEG; ANNOUNCING MYSELF ALL ALONG; THERE WERE CERTAIN VISUAL CUES THAT LOOKED OUT OF PLACE; BUT BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY IN THE PATTERN; AND NOW TURNING FINAL; I THOUGHT I SHOULD JUST CONTINUE. I SAW A GREEN LIGHT FROM THE TWR (ANOTHER HINT; MGJ WAS NON-CTLED) AND SO I PASSED OVER THE RWY THRESHOLD AND SAW I WAS ABOUT TO LAND ON RWY 27; I KNEW I HAD DEFINITELY MADE A MISTAKE AND LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT. ALTHOUGH I KNEW THAT CERTAIN FACTORS DID NOT ADD UP; SUCH AS SEEING A B747 AND C5'S PARKED ON THE FIELD; IN MY MIND I HAD TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. I LOOKED AT THE SECTIONAL; AND IT ALL LOOKED RIGHT. I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK ONCE I WAS IN THE PATTERN; AND STILL WASN'T COMPLETELY SURE I WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE UNTIL I SAW THE RWY NUMBERS. I HAD NEVER BEEN TO MGJ BEFORE; SO I WAS WILLING TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN IT; EVEN THOUGH SO MANY VISUAL CUES SAID OTHERWISE.

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.