Small aircraft on VOR approach misidentifies airport. Executes map.

Attributes
ACN	230172
Time
Date	199212
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1440
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	230172
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During VOR approach, the descent to MDA (1440 ft) put airplane right at the bottom of the overcast. Could see the ground, but forward visibility was limited to 1 mi, and was in and out of ragged bases. This resulted in limited forward visibility. About 1/2 mi from missed approach point, I saw the airport environment and runway off to my right. I initiated a descent from MDA to the runway. As I pushed down from MDA, I was no longer in the ragged bases, my forward visibility improved, and what I idented as the runway to my right became a road under construction in an area of trees similar to the airport boundary. I had misidented the airport in low visibility conditions and initiated my descent from MDA based upon this visual contact. As it turned out, I was further south of the airport than I thought, but since I could not positively identify the actual airport, I climbed back to MDA, declared a miss to ATC, and was vectored for another try. On the second approach, I correctly found the airport. This airport is in a developed area, with many roads/freeways all around. My perception of a paved runway in low visibility caused my deviation from MDA. This possibility is increased at any airport in congested area. Also, since it was not yet dark, I was not depending upon runway lights in my identify.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VOR APCH MISIDENTS ARPT. EXECUTES MAP.

Narrative: DURING VOR APCH, THE DSCNT TO MDA (1440 FT) PUT AIRPLANE RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OVCST. COULD SEE THE GND, BUT FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED TO 1 MI, AND WAS IN AND OUT OF RAGGED BASES. THIS RESULTED IN LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY. ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM MISSED APCH POINT, I SAW THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT AND RWY OFF TO MY R. I INITIATED A DSCNT FROM MDA TO THE RWY. AS I PUSHED DOWN FROM MDA, I WAS NO LONGER IN THE RAGGED BASES, MY FORWARD VISIBILITY IMPROVED, AND WHAT I IDENTED AS THE RWY TO MY R BECAME A ROAD UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN AN AREA OF TREES SIMILAR TO THE ARPT BOUNDARY. I HAD MISIDENTED THE ARPT IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS AND INITIATED MY DSCNT FROM MDA BASED UPON THIS VISUAL CONTACT. AS IT TURNED OUT, I WAS FURTHER S OF THE ARPT THAN I THOUGHT, BUT SINCE I COULD NOT POSITIVELY IDENT THE ACTUAL ARPT, I CLBED BACK TO MDA, DECLARED A MISS TO ATC, AND WAS VECTORED FOR ANOTHER TRY. ON THE SECOND APCH, I CORRECTLY FOUND THE ARPT. THIS ARPT IS IN A DEVELOPED AREA, WITH MANY ROADS/FREEWAYS ALL AROUND. MY PERCEPTION OF A PAVED RWY IN LOW VISIBILITY CAUSED MY DEV FROM MDA. THIS POSSIBILITY IS INCREASED AT ANY ARPT IN CONGESTED AREA. ALSO, SINCE IT WAS NOT YET DARK, I WAS NOT DEPENDING UPON RWY LIGHTS IN MY IDENT.

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.