Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from cover D'alente, identification to boeing field, wa. The final leg was via V120 wenatchee-sea. Well out (25 mi) I contacted sea approach for flight following/arsa clearance. This was provided. I was handed off to boeing tower and told to report a 2 mi final. This I did, where upon I was informed I was on final to renton! I was absolutely shocked, flabergasted and shaken. I am a quite experienced, professional pilot and figured this would never happen to me! I was VFR, navigating in the terminal area by map and pilotage. I believe that I, at a critical flight moment, glanced at my chart and misread the boeing field nomenclature/label as being associated with the renton airport symbol. I did not see the boeing airport until being given a heading and climb by the boeing tower. The chart nomenclature is abbreviated on the sea sectional due to the number of airports in close proximity. If you look at the chart, I think you'll see how this could happen. I was unfamiliar with the area, and I now wish I had asked for vectors to the field. Additionally, a ridge line between renton and boeing does tend to obscure boeing field. Also, although about the time that boeing tower called the error to my attention, I had noticed the absence of a parallel runway, the presence of a line of new boeing aircraft tended to reinforce my belief that I had boeing. The error was mine, due to unfamiliarity with the area and lack of preflight preparation. I estimate I came within 1 1/2 mi and 1000' altitude of renton.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VFR FLT PLAN MAKES APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT WHILE IN CONTACT WITH TWR.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM COVER D'ALENTE, ID TO BOEING FIELD, WA. THE FINAL LEG WAS VIA V120 WENATCHEE-SEA. WELL OUT (25 MI) I CONTACTED SEA APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING/ARSA CLRNC. THIS WAS PROVIDED. I WAS HANDED OFF TO BOEING TWR AND TOLD TO RPT A 2 MI FINAL. THIS I DID, WHERE UPON I WAS INFORMED I WAS ON FINAL TO RENTON! I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED, FLABERGASTED AND SHAKEN. I AM A QUITE EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL PLT AND FIGURED THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME! I WAS VFR, NAVIGATING IN THE TERMINAL AREA BY MAP AND PILOTAGE. I BELIEVE THAT I, AT A CRITICAL FLT MOMENT, GLANCED AT MY CHART AND MISREAD THE BOEING FIELD NOMENCLATURE/LABEL AS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE RENTON ARPT SYMBOL. I DID NOT SEE THE BOEING ARPT UNTIL BEING GIVEN A HDG AND CLB BY THE BOEING TWR. THE CHART NOMENCLATURE IS ABBREVIATED ON THE SEA SECTIONAL DUE TO THE NUMBER OF ARPTS IN CLOSE PROX. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, I THINK YOU'LL SEE HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, AND I NOW WISH I HAD ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE FIELD. ADDITIONALLY, A RIDGE LINE BTWN RENTON AND BOEING DOES TEND TO OBSCURE BOEING FIELD. ALSO, ALTHOUGH ABOUT THE TIME THAT BOEING TWR CALLED THE ERROR TO MY ATTN, I HAD NOTICED THE ABSENCE OF A PARALLEL RWY, THE PRESENCE OF A LINE OF NEW BOEING ACFT TENDED TO REINFORCE MY BELIEF THAT I HAD BOEING. THE ERROR WAS MINE, DUE TO UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA AND LACK OF PREFLT PREPARATION. I ESTIMATE I CAME WITHIN 1 1/2 MI AND 1000' ALT OF RENTON.

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.