Night landing at wrong airport results in overrun (N2099P)

What happened

The pilot stated that his intended destination was the Troy-Oakland Airport, where he planned to land on runway 27. However, he inadvertently landed on runway 27 at the Big Beaver Airport, which was approximately three miles away from his intended destination. The pilot expected to have 3800 feet of runway available but found that the runway at Big Beaver was only 2700 feet long. During the night landing, the aircraft continued off the end of the runway and subsequently hit a dirt bank.

The investigation

The investigation revealed that the pilot had landed at the wrong airport due to confusion between the two nearby airfields. The shorter runway length at Big Beaver Airport contributed to the overrun.

Findings

• The pilot landed on the wrong runway at an adjacent airport.
• The runway at the actual landing site was significantly shorter than expected.
• Nighttime conditions may have contributed to the navigation error.
• The aircraft overran the runway and struck a dirt bank.