SMA MAKES APCH WRONG ARPT. NO TWR CONTACT.

Date: 1994-05 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-airspace-violation-entry-or-exit|other-unspecified

Synopsis

SMA MAKES APCH WRONG ARPT. NO TWR CONTACT.

Narrative

DAY VFR FLT FROM HGR TO 37PA BY PILOTAGE; WITH VISIBILITY APPROX 25 MI. SPOTTED ARPT APPROX 15 MI OUT WITH RWY WELL-LIT BY REFLECTED SUNLIGHT AND CORRECT MAGNETIC HDG FOR 37PA. CALLED FOR ARPT ADVISORY 5 MI OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT RWY 28 WAS IN USE WITH BACK-TAXIING TFC. UPON ANNOUNCING ENTERING DOWNWIND ON A 45; I WAS AGAIN REMINDED OF BACK-TAXIING TFC. WHILE FOCUSED ON LOOKING FOR BACK-TAXIING TFC; I FAILED TO NOTICE THAT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TXWY WAS ACTUALLY AN INTERSECTING RWY. UPON ANNOUNCING INTENTIONS TO TURN BASE; I WAS QUESTIONED BY ACFT IN PATTERN AT 37PA AS TO MY LOCATION. LOOKING AWAY FROM RWY 28; I NOTICED INTERSECTING RWY NUMBERS; AND REALIZED THIS WAS NOT 37PA! EXITING THE AREA; WHILE WATCHING FOR TFC AND TRYING TO PINPOINT MY LOCATION; I CONSULTED THE CHART I HAD STOWED PRIOR TO PREPARING TO LAND. I THEN REALIZED IT WAS LNS; APPROX 6-7 MI W OF 37PA; AND THAT HAD BEEN IN THEIR ATA! SOMEWHAT SHAKEN; I PLOTTED A COURSE FOR HOME; AND REFLECTED ON THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ERROR I HAD COMMITTED. I ASSUMED THE SIGHTED ARPT WAS MY DEST BY VISUAL REF TO THE RWY SPOTTED; AND FOCUSED MY ATTN ON LOOKING FOR BACK-TAXIING TFC. BY FOCUSING MY ATTN; I FAILED TO NOTICE OTHER FEATURES OF THE ARPT WHICH WOULD HAVE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT 37PA -- THE RWY BEING TOO LONG AND TOO WIDE. IN THE FUTURE; I SHALL MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS; AND IDENT THE ARPT WITH ALL AVAILABLE METHODS POSSIBLE: VOR; GPS; AND PUBLISHED ARPT INFO.

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