Got lost at night and landed at rme without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	194848
Time
Date	199111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rme
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	194848
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a VFR flight from boston to traverse city, I encountered low ceilings, light rain and fog or haze and was forced lower than I wanted to be. My instrument lights went out and I lost track of exactly where I was and not being familiar with the area. I had a flashlight but was having trouble with my new glasses reading the charts and keeping the plane in level flight. There were too many things going wrong and I was getting quite excited. I came across this airport that was dimly lighted and circled it. I saw a control tower so I turned on my landing light to get someone's attention and circled again. I didn't see any signal from the tower and thought it was closed for the night. I landed and found out as soon as I taxied off the runway it was griffiss air base. I went through the routine investigation and inspection of everything, stayed the night in a motel and continued on the next day. The lights are being repaired and I have been back to the eye doctor with my new glasses.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOT LOST AT NIGHT AND LANDED AT RME WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ON A VFR FLT FROM BOSTON TO TRAVERSE CITY, I ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS, LIGHT RAIN AND FOG OR HAZE AND WAS FORCED LOWER THAN I WANTED TO BE. MY INST LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I LOST TRACK OF EXACTLY WHERE I WAS AND NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. I HAD A FLASHLIGHT BUT WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY NEW GLASSES READING THE CHARTS AND KEEPING THE PLANE IN LEVEL FLT. THERE WERE TOO MANY THINGS GOING WRONG AND I WAS GETTING QUITE EXCITED. I CAME ACROSS THIS ARPT THAT WAS DIMLY LIGHTED AND CIRCLED IT. I SAW A CTL TWR SO I TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTN AND CIRCLED AGAIN. I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGNAL FROM THE TWR AND THOUGHT IT WAS CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT. I LANDED AND FOUND OUT AS SOON AS I TAXIED OFF THE RWY IT WAS GRIFFISS AIR BASE. I WENT THROUGH THE ROUTINE INVESTIGATION AND INSPECTION OF EVERYTHING, STAYED THE NIGHT IN A MOTEL AND CONTINUED ON THE NEXT DAY. THE LIGHTS ARE BEING REPAIRED AND I HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE EYE DOCTOR WITH MY NEW GLASSES.

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.