Pilot of small aircraft at end of long flight entered traffic pattern for los animas when pilot was ...

Attributes
ACN	156262
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 5co0 airport : dro
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	156262
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

VFR flight from home base to torrance, ca to durango (la plata) airport in co. Direct flight taking 4 hours flying time. No stops on the way. When approaching dro from the west,, one passes very close to animas air park. The 2 airports are within 5 mi of each other. Both airports have the same runway orientation. I called on unicom for WX and traffic to dro and made left traffic to the airport and was on final (high) while making my traffic reports when it was determined that the airport was not dro but was animas. I aborted the descent at about 600' above the ground and, after advising on unicom, proceeded to dro. I determined that I was at the wrong airport only from the picture of it in the airport's book. Animas does not have runway #south and neither airport has a name visible. The juxtaposition of these 2 airports is dangerous. Better markings would be of help. (Note: while on approach to dro I heard on the radio another approach to animas looking for dro. I confirmed this by talking to the pilot on the ground at dro. This must happen frequently.) better markings would help to identify airports when the terrain around the airports all looks the same.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA AT END OF LONG FLT ENTERED TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LOS ANIMAS WHEN PLT WAS DESTINED FOR DRO.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM HOME BASE TO TORRANCE, CA TO DURANGO (LA PLATA) ARPT IN CO. DIRECT FLT TAKING 4 HRS FLYING TIME. NO STOPS ON THE WAY. WHEN APCHING DRO FROM THE W,, ONE PASSES VERY CLOSE TO ANIMAS AIR PARK. THE 2 ARPTS ARE WITHIN 5 MI OF EACH OTHER. BOTH ARPTS HAVE THE SAME RWY ORIENTATION. I CALLED ON UNICOM FOR WX AND TFC TO DRO AND MADE LEFT TFC TO THE ARPT AND WAS ON FINAL (HIGH) WHILE MAKING MY TFC RPTS WHEN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ARPT WAS NOT DRO BUT WAS ANIMAS. I ABORTED THE DSNT AT ABOUT 600' ABOVE THE GND AND, AFTER ADVISING ON UNICOM, PROCEEDED TO DRO. I DETERMINED THAT I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT ONLY FROM THE PICTURE OF IT IN THE ARPT'S BOOK. ANIMAS DOES NOT HAVE RWY #S AND NEITHER ARPT HAS A NAME VISIBLE. THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THESE 2 ARPTS IS DANGEROUS. BETTER MARKINGS WOULD BE OF HELP. (NOTE: WHILE ON APCH TO DRO I HEARD ON THE RADIO ANOTHER APCH TO ANIMAS LOOKING FOR DRO. I CONFIRMED THIS BY TALKING TO THE PLT ON THE GND AT DRO. THIS MUST HAPPEN FREQUENTLY.) BETTER MARKINGS WOULD HELP TO IDENT ARPTS WHEN THE TERRAIN AROUND THE ARPTS ALL LOOKS THE SAME.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft at end of long flight entered traffic pattern for los animas when pilot was destined for dro.