Narrative:

I was on approach to airport (22G) on an IFR flight plan. I was at 7000' and told to descend to 3000' for approach to 22G. I was using the 22G approach plate for information. I broke out into visual conditions and was told to expect a visual to 22G. I told him I saw an airport 5 mi at 12 O'clock. He said that this airport was elyria (1g1) and then he said no, that it was 22G. He cleared me to a visual approach to 22G. I contacted unicom on 122.7 and was told active was runway 25 with no traffic. I announced downwind, base and final and landed. It turns out that I landed at 1g1. These 2 airports (22G and 1g1) are only about 3 mi apart. Both have e-w runways, and unless you study the approach plates and look for the beacon in relation to the runway (1g1 is north of the runway, while 22G is south of the runway) you can't tell the difference at night. Once the controller approves the visual, you change frequency and even if he noticed that you are headed for the wrong airport, he can't tell you because you are on the wrong frequency. The approach plate for 1g1 shows the lorain airport on it to put the pilot on notice that there are 2 airports very close together. However, neither approach plate for lorain (22G) shows 1g1. If you are not familiar with the area, I think it is very easy to land at the wrong airport. I'll bet that the FBO's at these 2 airports can tell all kinds of stories about people landing at the wrong airports. The 22G approach plates should have 1g1 marked on them and both should have clear warnings about the close locations and caution advised.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS ON APCH TO ARPT (22G) ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I WAS AT 7000' AND TOLD TO DSND TO 3000' FOR APCH TO 22G. I WAS USING THE 22G APCH PLATE FOR INFO. I BROKE OUT INTO VISUAL CONDITIONS AND WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A VISUAL TO 22G. I TOLD HIM I SAW AN ARPT 5 MI AT 12 O'CLOCK. HE SAID THAT THIS ARPT WAS ELYRIA (1G1) AND THEN HE SAID NO, THAT IT WAS 22G. HE CLRED ME TO A VISUAL APCH TO 22G. I CONTACTED UNICOM ON 122.7 AND WAS TOLD ACTIVE WAS RWY 25 WITH NO TFC. I ANNOUNCED DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL AND LANDED. IT TURNS OUT THAT I LANDED AT 1G1. THESE 2 ARPTS (22G AND 1G1) ARE ONLY ABOUT 3 MI APART. BOTH HAVE E-W RWYS, AND UNLESS YOU STUDY THE APCH PLATES AND LOOK FOR THE BEACON IN RELATION TO THE RWY (1G1 IS N OF THE RWY, WHILE 22G IS S OF THE RWY) YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE AT NIGHT. ONCE THE CTLR APPROVES THE VISUAL, YOU CHANGE FREQ AND EVEN IF HE NOTICED THAT YOU ARE HEADED FOR THE WRONG ARPT, HE CAN'T TELL YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE ON THE WRONG FREQ. THE APCH PLATE FOR 1G1 SHOWS THE LORAIN ARPT ON IT TO PUT THE PLT ON NOTICE THAT THERE ARE 2 ARPTS VERY CLOSE TOGETHER. HOWEVER, NEITHER APCH PLATE FOR LORAIN (22G) SHOWS 1G1. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, I THINK IT IS VERY EASY TO LAND AT THE WRONG ARPT. I'LL BET THAT THE FBO'S AT THESE 2 ARPTS CAN TELL ALL KINDS OF STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE LNDG AT THE WRONG ARPTS. THE 22G APCH PLATES SHOULD HAVE 1G1 MARKED ON THEM AND BOTH SHOULD HAVE CLEAR WARNINGS ABOUT THE CLOSE LOCATIONS AND CAUTION ADVISED.

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.