A low time private pilot entered an air traffic area by mistake due to faulty navigation.

Attributes
ACN	238532
Time
Date	199304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ral airport : ril
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ral
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 190
ASRS Report	238532
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left vny airport for ril airport at approximately XH20 am. I received flight following through bur arsa and ont arsa. I was vectored towards ril, which is an uncontrolled airport within 5 SM of ral. I was given permission to descend and resume VFR navigation. Due to my unfamiliarity with the area, I commenced a downwind approach to ral without tower contact before realizing that the airport I wanted was further east. I was at the wrong airport on the wrong frequency. I was on the published unicom frequency for FLA606 (122.8) and had no tower communication with riverside. I continued on to FLA606. I believe I may have violated ral's air traffic area, inadvertently, thinking the airport was FLA606. There were no other aircraft in the pattern or otherwise involved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PVT PLT ENTERED AN ATA BY MISTAKE DUE TO FAULTY NAV.

Narrative: I LEFT VNY ARPT FOR RIL ARPT AT APPROX XH20 AM. I RECEIVED FLT FOLLOWING THROUGH BUR ARSA AND ONT ARSA. I WAS VECTORED TOWARDS RIL, WHICH IS AN UNCTLED ARPT WITHIN 5 SM OF RAL. I WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO DSND AND RESUME VFR NAV. DUE TO MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA, I COMMENCED A DOWNWIND APCH TO RAL WITHOUT TWR CONTACT BEFORE REALIZING THAT THE ARPT I WANTED WAS FURTHER E. I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT ON THE WRONG FREQ. I WAS ON THE PUBLISHED UNICOM FREQ FOR FLA606 (122.8) AND HAD NO TWR COM WITH RIVERSIDE. I CONTINUED ON TO FLA606. I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE VIOLATED RAL'S ATA, INADVERTENTLY, THINKING THE ARPT WAS FLA606. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN OR OTHERWISE INVOLVED.

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.