Flight attendant small aircraft helicopter landed at wrong airport in IMC conditions.

Attributes
ACN	195524
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apf
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1750 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	195524
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While operating my helicopter 1/2 mi off the coast line several mi northwest of the naples airport, I could not get into naples airport because of a low ceiling, so I attempted to navigate to marco island, fl, which is south of naples. Instead, I landed on the extreme eastern part of the naples airport. I requested that the tower allow me to taxi to the ramp, however, naples tower instructed me to contact ft myers approach for a clearance into naples. Knowing that I could not get a VFR clearance into naples, I departed to marco island. The only explanation I have for this mistake in navigation is that my VOR was erratic at low altitude and that my LORAN-C was erratic due to bad WX. Cps would have prevented this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA SMA HELI LANDED AT WRONG ARPT IN IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING MY HELI 1/2 MI OFF THE COAST LINE SEVERAL MI NW OF THE NAPLES ARPT, I COULD NOT GET INTO NAPLES ARPT BECAUSE OF A LOW CEILING, SO I ATTEMPTED TO NAVIGATE TO MARCO ISLAND, FL, WHICH IS S OF NAPLES. INSTEAD, I LANDED ON THE EXTREME EASTERN PART OF THE NAPLES ARPT. I REQUESTED THAT THE TWR ALLOW ME TO TAXI TO THE RAMP, HOWEVER, NAPLES TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT FT MYERS APCH FOR A CLRNC INTO NAPLES. KNOWING THAT I COULD NOT GET A VFR CLRNC INTO NAPLES, I DEPARTED TO MARCO ISLAND. THE ONLY EXPLANATION I HAVE FOR THIS MISTAKE IN NAV IS THAT MY VOR WAS ERRATIC AT LOW ALT AND THAT MY LORAN-C WAS ERRATIC DUE TO BAD WX. CPS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.

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.