Narrative:

I had accepted a visual approach to the gtf airport; thinking that the airport I had seen was gtf. On beginning to turn base the tower controller indicated that it appeared that I was turning base to the military base. He was correct. I did not know there was a large military base in the area. It is not shown on the en route IFR chart that I was using. In fact now reviewing the charts I have available; I still am not sure which airport I had originally chosen; as it is not on the charts. I had just descended through very severe turbulence (the worst encounter I had ever seen in 30+ yrs of flying) and very severe icing (3/4 inch in less than 1 min) about 15 mins prior; and was still shaken up by that; and therefore was not as alert and focused as I should have been to navigating; and therefore thought I had the gtf airport; when in fact I did not. I had been to gtf less than a week before; and thought I properly recognized the airport; but obviously I did not. Lessons to be learned here are: 1) even when shaken and distraction; one must still fly and navigation the airplane. 2) when accepting a visual approach; do not stop flying the IFR procedure and do not stop using other navigation tools to make sure you are flying the pattern to the correct airport; especially at unfamiliar airports. 3) good tower controllers sure are a big help; as it was the tower controller that alerted me to the correct airport. 4) all large airports must be on navigation charts; this is the only way pilots have to identify where they are; and where they are going. Why is it not on the chart?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SHAKEN AND DISTRACTED BY AN EARLIER ENCOUNTER WITH EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SEVERE AIRFRAME ICING; PILOT OF A PA34 BEGINS A VISUAL APCH TO THE WRONG AIRPORT. LOCAL CONTROLLER AT AIRPORT OF INTENDED LANDING ADVISES OF ERROR PRIOR TO LANDING.

Narrative: I HAD ACCEPTED A VISUAL APCH TO THE GTF ARPT; THINKING THAT THE ARPT I HAD SEEN WAS GTF. ON BEGINNING TO TURN BASE THE TWR CTLR INDICATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT I WAS TURNING BASE TO THE MIL BASE. HE WAS CORRECT. I DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A LARGE MIL BASE IN THE AREA. IT IS NOT SHOWN ON THE ENRTE IFR CHART THAT I WAS USING. IN FACT NOW REVIEWING THE CHARTS I HAVE AVAILABLE; I STILL AM NOT SURE WHICH ARPT I HAD ORIGINALLY CHOSEN; AS IT IS NOT ON THE CHARTS. I HAD JUST DSNDED THROUGH VERY SEVERE TURB (THE WORST ENCOUNTER I HAD EVER SEEN IN 30+ YRS OF FLYING) AND VERY SEVERE ICING (3/4 INCH IN LESS THAN 1 MIN) ABOUT 15 MINS PRIOR; AND WAS STILL SHAKEN UP BY THAT; AND THEREFORE WAS NOT AS ALERT AND FOCUSED AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO NAVING; AND THEREFORE THOUGHT I HAD THE GTF ARPT; WHEN IN FACT I DID NOT. I HAD BEEN TO GTF LESS THAN A WK BEFORE; AND THOUGHT I PROPERLY RECOGNIZED THE ARPT; BUT OBVIOUSLY I DID NOT. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED HERE ARE: 1) EVEN WHEN SHAKEN AND DISTR; ONE MUST STILL FLY AND NAV THE AIRPLANE. 2) WHEN ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH; DO NOT STOP FLYING THE IFR PROC AND DO NOT STOP USING OTHER NAV TOOLS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE FLYING THE PATTERN TO THE CORRECT ARPT; ESPECIALLY AT UNFAMILIAR ARPTS. 3) GOOD TWR CTLRS SURE ARE A BIG HELP; AS IT WAS THE TWR CTLR THAT ALERTED ME TO THE CORRECT ARPT. 4) ALL LARGE ARPTS MUST BE ON NAV CHARTS; THIS IS THE ONLY WAY PLTS HAVE TO IDENT WHERE THEY ARE; AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING. WHY IS IT NOT ON THE CHART?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.