SMA PLT GETS LOST AT NIGHT AND LANDS AT THE WRONG ARPT; ON THE WRONG RWY AND WITHOUT ANY COMS.
Synopsis
SMA PLT GETS LOST AT NIGHT AND LANDS AT THE WRONG ARPT; ON THE WRONG RWY AND WITHOUT ANY COMS.
Narrative
THE PROB WAS I GOT LOST. I STARTED OUT ON A VFR DAY TRAINING FLT; BY THE TIME I WAS ON MY WAY BACK THE SUN WENT DOWN. I LOST MY GND TRACK AND MY RADIO WAS ONLY COMING IN INTERMITTENT. KNOWING I HAD 4 HRS OF FUEL AND I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR 3 HRS AND 20 MINS. I KNEW THAT I MUST LAND SOON. I STARTED LOOKING FOR AN UNCTLED FIELD BUT I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. SO I CALLED ON MY RADIO TO THE TWR AT MERCER COUNTY (TTN) BECAUSE I SPOTTED A BEACON AND MISTAKENLY THOUGHT IT WAS MERCER COUNTY (TTN). THE TWR AT MERCER TOLD ME I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 34 THEN I LOST ALL RADIO COMS. I LANDED ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 34 AT MERCER BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE RWY 30 AT MORRISTOWN (MMU). NOT ONLY WAS I AT THE WRONG ARPT BUT I WAS LNDG AT A CTLED FIELD UNANNOUNCED AND PERPENDICULAR TO THEIR ACTIVE RWY. ALL OF THESE FACTS I WAS NOT AWARE OF AT THE TIME. NOT UNTIL I WAS AT THE FBO CLOSING MY FLT PLAN AND AS SOON AS I HUNG UP; THE TWR CALLED AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY; HE EXPLAINED THE SIT IN DETAIL WHICH I UNDERSTOOD COMPLETELY. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ANYBODY OR ANYTHING BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. I REFUELED THE C152; GOT MY BEARING AND FINISHED MY FLT TO MY HOME BASE WITHOUT A HITCH. NOW THAT WINTER IS COMING; THE NIGHT COMES DOWN MUCH FASTER AND I WILL BE THAT MUCH MORE AWARE IN THE FUTURE. I INTEND TO BECOME MUCH BETTER AT NIGHT OPS. I HAVE LEARNED A GREAT LESSON FROM THIS FLT AND I CAN GUARANTEE I WILL NEVER MAKE THOSE MISTAKES AGAIN.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.