1999-04 · NASA ASRS report 435960
SMA PLT LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT.
I LANDED AT THE WRONG ARPT. ON A PLEASURE FLT FROM CONCORD; CA; TO SALINAS; CA; I CALLED SALINAS TWR FOR PERMISSION TO LAND AND WAS CLRED TO RWY 26. I EXECUTED THE LNDG AND ATTEMPTED CALLING THE TWR AND GND FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WITH EITHER RADIO; I SUPPOSED MY RADIOS HAD SUDDENLY GONE OUT. WE TAXIED TO THE RESTAURANT AND TIED THE PLANE DOWN. I TRIED TO FIND THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE TWR TO EXPLAIN THAT MY RADIOS HAD GONE OUT WHEN I DISCOVERED TO MY DISMAY THAT I WAS AT WATSONVILLE AND LOCKING THE RIGHT PHONE NUMBER FOR THE SNS TWR. I CALLED FLT SVC ASKING THE SPECIALIST TO RELAY MY MESSAGE TO SALINAS TWR THAT I HAD LANDED SAFELY AT WATSONVILLE. THEN I FLEW ON TO SALINAS. I HAD A TALK WITH THE TWR CHIEF WHO WAS STERN WITH ME BUT ACCEPTED MY APOLOGIES AND MY RESOLVE TO DO BETTER NEXT TIME. I SIMPLY WAS NOT PAYING SUFFICIENT ATTN TO THE CHARTS. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26. BOTH SALINAS AND WATSONVILLE HAVE RWYS 26. THEY ARE RATHER SIMILAR IN LAYOUT AND FROM THE AIR ONE SEES MONTEREY BAY FROM EITHER ONE. CARELESS. THERE WAS NO MISHAP BEYOND THE INCONVENIENCE TO SALINAS TFC AND SOME ALARM FOR THE CTLRS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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