Low time pilot misidentifies airport and penetrates arsa.

Attributes
ACN	144710
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hou airport : efd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : efd tower : efd
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 85 flight time type : 13
ASRS Report	144710
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Using the hou terminal area chart and pilotage, I was trying to fly under and around the hobby arsa. I was returning to houston ellington field from the northwest, flying below and around the hou TCA. Using a bridge on the ship channel turned toward the south, believing I was north of ellington. I had a DME reading of 10 mi to ellington field. I contacted the ellington field tower and reported 9 mi north, and was given clearance to begin a straight in approach for runway 17R. I visually idented runways in the distance and started flying to them. A few seconds later I saw I was flying toward hobby instead of ellington. I made a left turn toward ellington, but had possibly already violated the hobby arsa. Later in reviewing the flight, I realized the bridge I used to turn south on was not shown on the houston terminal area chart. It was a new bridge that has been built near the baytown tunnel. Having this bridge on the chart could have prevented the event. If I would have used the VOR bearing to ellington, or idented other visibility landmarks, the event could have been prevented. Also the control tower could have used radar to alert me of my navigation error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT MISIDENTIFIES ARPT AND PENETRATES ARSA.

Narrative: USING THE HOU TERMINAL AREA CHART AND PILOTAGE, I WAS TRYING TO FLY UNDER AND AROUND THE HOBBY ARSA. I WAS RETURNING TO HOUSTON ELLINGTON FIELD FROM THE NW, FLYING BELOW AND AROUND THE HOU TCA. USING A BRIDGE ON THE SHIP CHANNEL TURNED TOWARD THE S, BELIEVING I WAS N OF ELLINGTON. I HAD A DME READING OF 10 MI TO ELLINGTON FIELD. I CONTACTED THE ELLINGTON FIELD TWR AND RPTED 9 MI N, AND WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO BEGIN A STRAIGHT IN APCH FOR RWY 17R. I VISUALLY IDENTED RWYS IN THE DISTANCE AND STARTED FLYING TO THEM. A FEW SECS LATER I SAW I WAS FLYING TOWARD HOBBY INSTEAD OF ELLINGTON. I MADE A LEFT TURN TOWARD ELLINGTON, BUT HAD POSSIBLY ALREADY VIOLATED THE HOBBY ARSA. LATER IN REVIEWING THE FLT, I REALIZED THE BRIDGE I USED TO TURN S ON WAS NOT SHOWN ON THE HOUSTON TERMINAL AREA CHART. IT WAS A NEW BRIDGE THAT HAS BEEN BUILT NEAR THE BAYTOWN TUNNEL. HAVING THIS BRIDGE ON THE CHART COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EVENT. IF I WOULD HAVE USED THE VOR BEARING TO ELLINGTON, OR IDENTED OTHER VIS LANDMARKS, THE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. ALSO THE CTL TWR COULD HAVE USED RADAR TO ALERT ME OF MY NAV ERROR.

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.