Narrative:

While leading a flight of 2 spc aircraft from the fort benning target range back to dobbins AFB I intruded into the fulton county TRSA west/O permission or radio contact. We were in visual conditions below the atl TCA on a VFR flight plan filed with dobbins AFB operations. The DME in my TACAN was inoperative so as we passed from south to north under the western side of the atl TCA, I led the flight further to the west than necessary just to give the TCA on a little more room. I was using the altitude azimuth and an atl sectional chart for navigation. As we passed the atl 270 degree right at what I guessed to be about 20 NM, I took a cut to about 040 degrees and turned in dobbins TACAN, expecting to lock up about 060 degrees (240 degree right). When the TACAN locked up at about 350 degrees (170 degree right), I assumed I had a bad lock and cycled it. It locked up again in the same place and I realized I was not where I thought I was. I turned to 350 degrees and saw fulton county airport thinking it was dobbins in the haze. I switched my wing man to dobbins tower, but he got lost between frequency because his radio had not been preset to local frequencys as we are used to. I requested a visual approach which was granted. When I rolled out on final about 2 1/2 NM, I knew I was at the wrong airport. I turned direct dobbins and completed a visual approach. Dobbins was contacted by fulton county tower whom I spoke to by telephone. After relating this story to him, he checked with atl tower to verify there were no TCA violations and let it go at that. I should have used atl approach clt returning from target. I should have either gotten more information from my wing man or given him the lead.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT OF 2 OPERATING VFR ENTER TCA WITHOUT CLRNC AND BEGAN APCH TO WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE LEADING A FLT OF 2 SPC ACFT FROM THE FORT BENNING TARGET RANGE BACK TO DOBBINS AFB I INTRUDED INTO THE FULTON COUNTY TRSA W/O PERMISSION OR RADIO CONTACT. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS BELOW THE ATL TCA ON A VFR FLT PLAN FILED WITH DOBBINS AFB OPS. THE DME IN MY TACAN WAS INOP SO AS WE PASSED FROM S TO N UNDER THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE ATL TCA, I LED THE FLT FURTHER TO THE W THAN NECESSARY JUST TO GIVE THE TCA ON A LITTLE MORE ROOM. I WAS USING THE ALT AZIMUTH AND AN ATL SECTIONAL CHART FOR NAV. AS WE PASSED THE ATL 270 DEG R AT WHAT I GUESSED TO BE ABOUT 20 NM, I TOOK A CUT TO ABOUT 040 DEGS AND TURNED IN DOBBINS TACAN, EXPECTING TO LOCK UP ABOUT 060 DEGS (240 DEG R). WHEN THE TACAN LOCKED UP AT ABOUT 350 DEGS (170 DEG R), I ASSUMED I HAD A BAD LOCK AND CYCLED IT. IT LOCKED UP AGAIN IN THE SAME PLACE AND I REALIZED I WAS NOT WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS. I TURNED TO 350 DEGS AND SAW FULTON COUNTY ARPT THINKING IT WAS DOBBINS IN THE HAZE. I SWITCHED MY WING MAN TO DOBBINS TWR, BUT HE GOT LOST BTWN FREQ BECAUSE HIS RADIO HAD NOT BEEN PRESET TO LCL FREQS AS WE ARE USED TO. I REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH WHICH WAS GRANTED. WHEN I ROLLED OUT ON FINAL ABOUT 2 1/2 NM, I KNEW I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. I TURNED DIRECT DOBBINS AND COMPLETED A VISUAL APCH. DOBBINS WAS CONTACTED BY FULTON COUNTY TWR WHOM I SPOKE TO BY TELEPHONE. AFTER RELATING THIS STORY TO HIM, HE CHKED WITH ATL TWR TO VERIFY THERE WERE NO TCA VIOLATIONS AND LET IT GO AT THAT. I SHOULD HAVE USED ATL APCH CLT RETURNING FROM TARGET. I SHOULD HAVE EITHER GOTTEN MORE INFO FROM MY WING MAN OR GIVEN HIM THE LEAD.

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