Small aircraft became confused and deviated off course toward another airport.

Attributes
ACN	137841
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : csg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : csg tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	137841
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was working csg tower as the local and ground controller. I was given an inbound on small aircraft X a single engine aircraft. I was advised that he had an medium large transport in sight who had just passed over him and was going to follow him to the airport. At this point, both aircraft were about 7 mi north for runway 5. The aircraft came over to my frequency and I advised him that he was '#3, follow the medium large transport you have in sight.' medium large transport landed and I cleared small aircraft X to land. I noticed that he was about 5 1/2 mi southwest and appeared to be southbound. My initial thought was that he sure was leaving a lot of room for wake turbulence, but then I noticed that he was still southbound and about 5 mi from lsa aaf. I inquired if he was heading for the airport at 12 O'clock and he applied that he had the beacon in sight at about 12 O'clock. I advised him that he was heading for the wrong airport and turned him back toward csg. Factors: pilot had an aircraft in sight to follow, but apparently lost sight and did not advise ATC. Pilot was not sure of his location at all times as he should have been. Pilot did not noticed the different flashing sequence of the military rotating beacon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA BECAME CONFUSED AND DEVIATED OFF COURSE TOWARD ANOTHER ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING CSG TWR AS THE LCL AND GND CTLR. I WAS GIVEN AN INBND ON SMA X A SINGLE ENG ACFT. I WAS ADVISED THAT HE HAD AN MLG IN SIGHT WHO HAD JUST PASSED OVER HIM AND WAS GOING TO FOLLOW HIM TO THE ARPT. AT THIS POINT, BOTH ACFT WERE ABOUT 7 MI N FOR RWY 5. THE ACFT CAME OVER TO MY FREQ AND I ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS '#3, FOLLOW THE MLG YOU HAVE IN SIGHT.' MLG LANDED AND I CLRED SMA X TO LAND. I NOTICED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 5 1/2 MI SW AND APPEARED TO BE SBND. MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT HE SURE WAS LEAVING A LOT OF ROOM FOR WAKE TURB, BUT THEN I NOTICED THAT HE WAS STILL SBND AND ABOUT 5 MI FROM LSA AAF. I INQUIRED IF HE WAS HDG FOR THE ARPT AT 12 O'CLOCK AND HE APPLIED THAT HE HAD THE BEACON IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 12 O'CLOCK. I ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS HDG FOR THE WRONG ARPT AND TURNED HIM BACK TOWARD CSG. FACTORS: PLT HAD AN ACFT IN SIGHT TO FOLLOW, BUT APPARENTLY LOST SIGHT AND DID NOT ADVISE ATC. PLT WAS NOT SURE OF HIS LOCATION AT ALL TIMES AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. PLT DID NOT NOTICED THE DIFFERENT FLASHING SEQUENCE OF THE MIL ROTATING BEACON.

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.