Narrative:

We were on our 8TH leg of the day from tcl to gtr, where we were to overnight. We were proceeding direct to igb VOR, which is 5 mi northeast of gtr. We were around 8 mi out when we spotted what we thought was gtr, but was actually stf, which is 14 mi west of gtr. In this area there are at least 4 airports, all with 18-36 runways. The runway lights and rotating beacon were very noticeable, while we never saw gtr which is dim. Both areas look the same, with the same kind of surroundings and the terminals are both on the east side of the airport. We had no doubts that this was gtr. I had my VOR selected for the localizer DME back course runway 36 with the DME from igb VOR on hold. Once we sighted the airport (stf) I turned southwest to enter a base leg (right) to runway 36 (I was flying). Our altitude was 5000' from tcl and we had descended to 3000' in the columbus area. It was night, clear and hazy. Once we saw the airport our DME was reading 12 mi, which I thought was correct. I simply assumed it was the correct airport and did not notice my navigation references and landed at the wrong airport. I cancelled IFR with columbus military approach, whom we had been talking to. There were 2 GA aircraft on unicom for gtr, and when we were on base air carrier B called up north of gtr. We never saw them, but were concerned and looking for them. Everyone was using runway 36. I have landed at gtr several times during the day, but always approached from the north side. In this incident I approached from the s--never again. I did not realize there was an airport west of gtr. I knew there was one east though. I simply landed at the wrong airport, but was determined and convinced it was the correct one when I landed. I knew when I taxied off what I had done. When we spotted stf, thinking it was gtr, we told columbus approach we had the field in sight and he cleared us for a visual. Supplemental information from acn 90609: approximately 12 southeast of igb VOR, we told approach control we had the beacon for gtr and were going to proceed direct to the airport (which really was stf). After being cleared direct to the airport, we both set the localizer frequency in both navaids and the PF kept the DME information on his NAVAID from igb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT LANDED AT WRONG ARPT AT NIGHT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON OUR 8TH LEG OF THE DAY FROM TCL TO GTR, WHERE WE WERE TO OVERNIGHT. WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO IGB VOR, WHICH IS 5 MI NE OF GTR. WE WERE AROUND 8 MI OUT WHEN WE SPOTTED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GTR, BUT WAS ACTUALLY STF, WHICH IS 14 MI W OF GTR. IN THIS AREA THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 ARPTS, ALL WITH 18-36 RWYS. THE RWY LIGHTS AND ROTATING BEACON WERE VERY NOTICEABLE, WHILE WE NEVER SAW GTR WHICH IS DIM. BOTH AREAS LOOK THE SAME, WITH THE SAME KIND OF SURROUNDINGS AND THE TERMINALS ARE BOTH ON THE E SIDE OF THE ARPT. WE HAD NO DOUBTS THAT THIS WAS GTR. I HAD MY VOR SELECTED FOR THE LOC DME BC RWY 36 WITH THE DME FROM IGB VOR ON HOLD. ONCE WE SIGHTED THE ARPT (STF) I TURNED SW TO ENTER A BASE LEG (RIGHT) TO RWY 36 (I WAS FLYING). OUR ALT WAS 5000' FROM TCL AND WE HAD DSNDED TO 3000' IN THE COLUMBUS AREA. IT WAS NIGHT, CLEAR AND HAZY. ONCE WE SAW THE ARPT OUR DME WAS READING 12 MI, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS CORRECT. I SIMPLY ASSUMED IT WAS THE CORRECT ARPT AND DID NOT NOTICE MY NAV REFERENCES AND LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT. I CANCELLED IFR WITH COLUMBUS MIL APCH, WHOM WE HAD BEEN TALKING TO. THERE WERE 2 GA ACFT ON UNICOM FOR GTR, AND WHEN WE WERE ON BASE ACR B CALLED UP N OF GTR. WE NEVER SAW THEM, BUT WERE CONCERNED AND LOOKING FOR THEM. EVERYONE WAS USING RWY 36. I HAVE LANDED AT GTR SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE DAY, BUT ALWAYS APCHED FROM THE N SIDE. IN THIS INCIDENT I APCHED FROM THE S--NEVER AGAIN. I DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS AN ARPT W OF GTR. I KNEW THERE WAS ONE E THOUGH. I SIMPLY LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT, BUT WAS DETERMINED AND CONVINCED IT WAS THE CORRECT ONE WHEN I LANDED. I KNEW WHEN I TAXIED OFF WHAT I HAD DONE. WHEN WE SPOTTED STF, THINKING IT WAS GTR, WE TOLD COLUMBUS APCH WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND HE CLRED US FOR A VISUAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 90609: APPROX 12 SE OF IGB VOR, WE TOLD APCH CTL WE HAD THE BEACON FOR GTR AND WERE GOING TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE ARPT (WHICH REALLY WAS STF). AFTER BEING CLRED DIRECT TO THE ARPT, WE BOTH SET THE LOC FREQ IN BOTH NAVAIDS AND THE PF KEPT THE DME INFO ON HIS NAVAID FROM IGB.

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.