WRONG ARPT APCH LNDG. UNAUTH LNDG.

Date: 1993-07 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-landing-without-clearance|other-unspecified|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit

Synopsis

WRONG ARPT APCH LNDG. UNAUTH LNDG.

Narrative

FILED IFR TO HAYWARD DUE TO STRATUS LAYER OVER THE BAY AREA. INTENDED TO MAKE THE VOR-A APCH TO HAYWARD; THEN CANCEL IFR WHEN BELOW CLOUDS AND PROCEED TO SAN CARLOS. DEPARTED RENO AT XA30 LCL. FLT WAS NORMAL UNTIL VICINITY OF LIVERMORE WHEN BAY APCH ADVISED THAT CURRENT WX WOULD PROBABLY NOT PERMIT FLT ACROSS THE BAY UNDER VFR. STATED MY INTENTION TO LAND AT HAYWARD AND WAIT UNTIL SAFE FLT ACROSS THE BAY COULD OCCUR. RECEIVED CLRNC FOR THE HAYWARD VOR-A APCH. WAS ADVISED TO SWITCH TO THE CTAF AT HAYWARD; THEN CONTACT APCH UPON LNDG TO CANCEL IFR. BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AT 900 FT MSL. MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH A ROTATING BEACON; PROCEEDED TOWARD THAT BEACON; MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY AND LANDED. CONTACTED APCH TO CANCEL IFR. APCH ASKED WHERE I WAS. I STATED THAT I WAS ON THE GND AT HAYWARD. APCH ADVISED THAT I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE GND AT OAKLAND. I HAVE LISTED BELOW THE SPECIFIC ERRORS THAT I RECOGNIZE AS HAVING LED TO THIS INCIDENT. HOWEVER; I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS PLT FATIGUE; CAUSED BY THE FOLLOWING: UPSET OF MY CIRCADIAN RHYTHM DUE TO LACK OF SLEEP. IMPROPER NUTRITION DURING THE 18 HR PERIOD PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. HIGH STRESS DURING THE 10 HR PERIOD PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THIS FATIGUE LED TO THE FOLLOWING ERRORS: POOR JUDGEMENT ABOUT MY CONDITION TO FLY. I HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO SLEEP A FEW HRS BEFORE THE FLT. HOWEVER; UPON ARR AT THE FBO IN RENO; I FELT OK SO I REASONED THAT I WOULD MAKE THE FLT; THEN SLEEP WHEN I GOT HOME. POOR REVIEW OF APCH. I HAD FLOWN THE APCH NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST AND THOUGHT I WAS FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH IT; SO MY REVIEW WAS NOT AS THOROUGH AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. POOR PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF APCH. I WAS 'BEHIND THE AIRPLANE' THROUGHOUT THE APCH. SPECIFICALLY; I WAS OFF COURSE; FAST; AND STARTED THE TIMER LATE. FAILURE TO EXECUTE MISSED APCH. I FAILED TO FACTOR IN THE 'LATE START' OF THE TIMER. THE TIMER EXPIRED JUST AS I SPOTTED THE BEACON. I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT HAVING STARTED THE TIMER LATE AND BEING FAST; I WOULD BE FAR BEYOND THE ARPT WHEN THE TIMER EXPIRED. IMPROPER MIND SET. I WAS NOT MENTALLY PREPARED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. I ASSUMED THAT I WOULD BREAK OUT; SEE THE ARPT; AND LAND -- WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID. THIS INCIDENT MADE ME KEENLY AWARE OF WHAT FATIGUE CAN DO TO A PLT. I NOW KNOW THAT STAYING AWAKE IS NOT ENOUGH. FATIGUE MAKES THE MIND LAZY AND TARGET FOR A COMPLACENT ATTITUDE. I KNEW I WAS FATIGUED; BUT I BELIEVE MY FATIGUE MADE ME INCORRECTLY THINK THAT I WAS OKAY TO FLY. I WILL TAKE MORE CARE TO PREVENT MYSELF FROM BEING IN SITS WHERE I MIGHT BE FLYING IN SUCH A FATIGUED STATE. ADDITIONALLY; THIS INCIDENT SERVES A GOOD LESSON OF WHAT COMPLACENCY CAN DO TO FLYING SAFETY. MY COMPLACENCY BROUGHT ON A MIND SET THAT I WOULD MAKE THE APCH AND LAND LIKE I HAD DONE SO MANY TIMES BEFORE. THEREFORE; I SHOULD USE THIS TO RECOGNIZE TIMES THAT I COULD SUCCUMB TO COMPLACENCY; AND TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT IT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.