GA small aircraft wrong airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	137169
Time
Date	199002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : buf
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 120 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	137169
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance incursion : runway non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a round robin training flight. This being the first time of flying up in the north. All my other time has been in south fl. My first leg was from 900 to bfd. I had been flying by visibility reference due to bfd-VOR not operating. As I was over bfd,PA, there was some moderate haze and during the flight I unknowingly passed bfd airport, while maintaining my course 350 degree. I thought my calculation may be incorrect so I flew the same course for approximately 10 mins. I then saw what I thought was bfd but turned out to be buffalo. I contacted bfd/FSS when I was approximately 10 mi south and bfd/FSS gave me current altitude setting, preferred runway 23, and winds. When I looked I saw runway 23 and landed not knowing it was buf. When I got on the ground and onto taxiway charlie, I saw a sign that said buffalo airport. I was on bfd/FSS frequency and I looked at the tower and saw them showing a red light to me so I didn't taxi any further. I started looking for the frequency in my AFD when an airport truck came over to take me to FBO. I contacted ground control and they told me to follow the truck and contact tower after I secured my plane. I did this and cooperated with tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE ON A ROUND ROBIN TRAINING FLT. THIS BEING THE FIRST TIME OF FLYING UP IN THE N. ALL MY OTHER TIME HAS BEEN IN S FL. MY FIRST LEG WAS FROM 900 TO BFD. I HAD BEEN FLYING BY VIS REFERENCE DUE TO BFD-VOR NOT OPERATING. AS I WAS OVER BFD,PA, THERE WAS SOME MODERATE HAZE AND DURING THE FLT I UNKNOWINGLY PASSED BFD ARPT, WHILE MAINTAINING MY COURSE 350 DEG. I THOUGHT MY CALCULATION MAY BE INCORRECT SO I FLEW THE SAME COURSE FOR APPROX 10 MINS. I THEN SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BFD BUT TURNED OUT TO BE BUFFALO. I CONTACTED BFD/FSS WHEN I WAS APPROX 10 MI S AND BFD/FSS GAVE ME CURRENT ALT SETTING, PREFERRED RWY 23, AND WINDS. WHEN I LOOKED I SAW RWY 23 AND LANDED NOT KNOWING IT WAS BUF. WHEN I GOT ON THE GND AND ONTO TXWY CHARLIE, I SAW A SIGN THAT SAID BUFFALO ARPT. I WAS ON BFD/FSS FREQ AND I LOOKED AT THE TWR AND SAW THEM SHOWING A RED LIGHT TO ME SO I DIDN'T TAXI ANY FURTHER. I STARTED LOOKING FOR THE FREQ IN MY AFD WHEN AN ARPT TRUCK CAME OVER TO TAKE ME TO FBO. I CONTACTED GND CTL AND THEY TOLD ME TO FOLLOW THE TRUCK AND CONTACT TWR AFTER I SECURED MY PLANE. I DID THIS AND COOPERATED WITH TWR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.