Narrative:

This report involves mistaking a road for the runway. [We were] approaching from the southwest and landing on runway 10 at C65 (plymouth municipal; indiana). It is important to note all the similarities between this road and the runway; narrow road/runway is 60 ft wide; runway for direction of landing was 4;400 ft long; an abundance of vegetation around the road and runway; direction or layout of the road and runway; and most notably a turn around point at the east end of the road just like the runway itself. The west side of the road either ended like a runway or was obscured by vegetation. Approaching from the southwest on an assigned heading we were advised by ATC the airport was at two o'clock and X miles. We were probably 3-4 miles from the actual field at this time. When I saw what I thought to be the runway I pointed it out to my copilot and we canceled IFR at that time. We were nearly on top of the runway and approaching the approach end of runway 10. As my partner was busy on the radio I signaled to him that I was going to fly a 270 degree turn to the left in order to lose some altitude and get lined up for the runway. As I began this turn we were still at 2;500 ft (pattern altitude). As we were coming out of the turn and lining up to runway 10 we noticed something to be sitting on the runway about mid field. Continuing and monitoring we then noticed a car drive across the 'runway' from left to right. It was about this time when we received a terrain warning and were approximately at 800 ft. Within a few seconds of this warning we both concluded at the same time that we were not in fact lined up on a runway but a road. I added power and climbed back up to 2;500 ft. About the same time I reached pattern altitude we both saw the airport at about our eleven thirty position; basically we were approaching the up wind leg for runway 10. We continued; crossed over the field to enter the left downwind; base; and final for an uneventful landing on runway 10 at C65 airport.after much review of this situation I am confident of two things; first; the one thing that lured me in was the turn around point at the end of the road that resembles what I was expecting at the runway/field. Secondly; I neglected to look for the painted markings and/or numbers on the runway. It is my personal and professional opinion that with all the similarities between this road west of the C65 airport there is a significant safety issue. At a minimum this information should be applied to the feasibility notes for pilots flying into C65 in the future in order to have some semblance of a warning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE560 Captain reports mistaking a road 4 NM west of C65 for the airport itself and making a visual approach to 800 FT AGL before realizing the mistake.

Narrative: This report involves mistaking a road for the runway. [We were] approaching from the southwest and landing on Runway 10 at C65 (Plymouth Municipal; Indiana). It is important to note all the similarities between this road and the runway; narrow road/runway is 60 FT wide; runway for direction of landing was 4;400 FT long; an abundance of vegetation around the road and runway; direction or layout of the road and runway; and most notably a turn around point at the east end of the road just like the runway itself. The west side of the road either ended like a runway or was obscured by vegetation. Approaching from the southwest on an assigned heading we were advised by ATC the airport was at two o'clock and X miles. We were probably 3-4 miles from the actual field at this time. When I saw what I thought to be the runway I pointed it out to my copilot and we canceled IFR at that time. We were nearly on top of the runway and approaching the approach end of Runway 10. As my partner was busy on the radio I signaled to him that I was going to fly a 270 degree turn to the left in order to lose some altitude and get lined up for the runway. As I began this turn we were still at 2;500 FT (pattern altitude). As we were coming out of the turn and lining up to Runway 10 we noticed something to be sitting on the runway about mid field. Continuing and monitoring we then noticed a car drive across the 'runway' from left to right. It was about this time when we received a terrain warning and were approximately at 800 FT. Within a few seconds of this warning we both concluded at the same time that we were not in fact lined up on a runway but a road. I added power and climbed back up to 2;500 FT. About the same time I reached pattern altitude we both saw the airport at about our eleven thirty position; basically we were approaching the up wind leg for Runway 10. We continued; crossed over the field to enter the left downwind; base; and final for an uneventful landing on Runway 10 at C65 airport.After much review of this situation I am confident of two things; First; the one thing that lured me in was the turn around point at the end of the road that resembles what I was expecting at the runway/field. Secondly; I neglected to look for the painted markings and/or numbers on the runway. It is my personal and professional opinion that with all the similarities between this road west of the C65 airport there is a significant safety issue. At a minimum this information should be applied to the feasibility notes for pilots flying into C65 in the future in order to have some semblance of a warning.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.