AN SPI IN AN SMA LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING MY LONG XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT WHEN I WAS VECTORED AROUND FORT KNOX MIL BASE. THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME AND I GOT TOO FAR N. I MADE A BAD DECISION BY NOT FLYING DIRECTLY TO THE MYSTIC VOR; INSTEAD I STAYED ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER. WHEN I GOT TO WITHIN 10 MI OF OWENSBORO; I TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS. I WAS THEN TOLD BY OWENSBORO TWR THAT RWY 18 WAS IN USE AND I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW RWY 18 AND STARTED TO SET MY APCH WHEN I NOTICED A PLANE IN THE PATTERN BELOW ME; SO I TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO DO A GAR. I DID MY GAR AND I LANDED WHEN I HEARD OWENSBORO SAY THEY DIDN'T KNOW OR SEE ME. I LOOKED OVER TO THE TERMINAL AND SAW EVANSVILLE AND KNEW THAT I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT; WHICH I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE TO BE HURT. I WAS SEVERELY REPRIMANDED AND REFUELED AND SENT ON MY WAY. EVEN THOUGH THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WERE BAD; I FEEL THAT THE OWENSBORO TWR SHOULD NOT HAVE TOLD ME TO LAND WITHOUT SEEING ME. I ALWAYS SAY 'STUDENT PLT' AND LOUISVILLE FORGOT ABOUT ME AND I GOT TOO FAR OFF MY HDG. AS PIC I DIDN'T MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.