SMA ON VFR FLT PLAN MAKES APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT WHILE IN CONTACT WITH TWR.
Synopsis
SMA ON VFR FLT PLAN MAKES APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT WHILE IN CONTACT WITH TWR.
Narrative
I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM COVER D'ALENTE; ID TO BOEING FIELD; WA. THE FINAL LEG WAS VIA V120 WENATCHEE-SEA. WELL OUT (25 MI) I CONTACTED SEA APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING/ARSA CLRNC. THIS WAS PROVIDED. I WAS HANDED OFF TO BOEING TWR AND TOLD TO RPT A 2 MI FINAL. THIS I DID; WHERE UPON I WAS INFORMED I WAS ON FINAL TO RENTON! I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED; FLABERGASTED AND SHAKEN. I AM A QUITE EXPERIENCED; PROFESSIONAL PLT AND FIGURED THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME! I WAS VFR; NAVIGATING IN THE TERMINAL AREA BY MAP AND PILOTAGE. I BELIEVE THAT I; AT A CRITICAL FLT MOMENT; GLANCED AT MY CHART AND MISREAD THE BOEING FIELD NOMENCLATURE/LABEL AS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE RENTON ARPT SYMBOL. I DID NOT SEE THE BOEING ARPT UNTIL BEING GIVEN A HDG AND CLB BY THE BOEING TWR. THE CHART NOMENCLATURE IS ABBREVIATED ON THE SEA SECTIONAL DUE TO THE NUMBER OF ARPTS IN CLOSE PROX. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART; I THINK YOU'LL SEE HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA; AND I NOW WISH I HAD ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE FIELD. ADDITIONALLY; A RIDGE LINE BTWN RENTON AND BOEING DOES TEND TO OBSCURE BOEING FIELD. ALSO; ALTHOUGH ABOUT THE TIME THAT BOEING TWR CALLED THE ERROR TO MY ATTN; I HAD NOTICED THE ABSENCE OF A PARALLEL RWY; THE PRESENCE OF A LINE OF NEW BOEING ACFT TENDED TO REINFORCE MY BELIEF THAT I HAD BOEING. THE ERROR WAS MINE; DUE TO UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA AND LACK OF PREFLT PREPARATION. I ESTIMATE I CAME WITHIN 1 1/2 MI AND 1000' ALT OF RENTON.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.