Small aircraft becomes disoriented, lands at wrong airport, without communication.

Attributes
ACN	253646
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 313 flight time type : 7
ASRS Report	253646
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying cross country. Planned trip was south to mildrid peak (approximately 15 NM north of mexican border) from falcon field, mesa, az, then north to aura valley for full stop, fuel, and a meal. Could not locate aura valley. Circled around local area for approximately 1/2 hour, wandering back and forth hoping to sight field. Runways are 30 and 12. Spotted airport in distance and noted that runways appeared to be oriented 30/12. Flew closer, entering left downwind for what I believed to be 12. I simultaneously spotted tower and '11' on end of runway and realized I'd made a serious mistake. At that point, both wing tanks were on empty. I could not determine which airport I was at and felt I needed to get on the ground. I observed no other aircraft in the pattern, turned base and final. I never observed a light gun in the tower (I was looking pretty hard). The controller later told me they used one. I also failed to dial 121.5, which would have put me on frequency with tus immediately. I landed and immediately went to the tower to 'face the music.' the controller was quite understanding and spent some time reviewing what I should have done. He told me, since I hadn't risked any lives, etc., he would not write me up. He recommend that I review the far, aim and take some training with busy airport procsecond officerps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA BECOMES DISORIENTED, LANDS AT WRONG ARPT, WITHOUT COM.

Narrative: FLYING XCOUNTRY. PLANNED TRIP WAS S TO MILDRID PEAK (APPROX 15 NM N OF MEXICAN BORDER) FROM FALCON FIELD, MESA, AZ, THEN N TO AURA VALLEY FOR FULL STOP, FUEL, AND A MEAL. COULD NOT LOCATE AURA VALLEY. CIRCLED AROUND LCL AREA FOR APPROX 1/2 HR, WANDERING BACK AND FORTH HOPING TO SIGHT FIELD. RWYS ARE 30 AND 12. SPOTTED ARPT IN DISTANCE AND NOTED THAT RWYS APPEARED TO BE ORIENTED 30/12. FLEW CLOSER, ENTERING L DOWNWIND FOR WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE 12. I SIMULTANEOUSLY SPOTTED TWR AND '11' ON END OF RWY AND REALIZED I'D MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE. AT THAT POINT, BOTH WING TANKS WERE ON EMPTY. I COULD NOT DETERMINE WHICH ARPT I WAS AT AND FELT I NEEDED TO GET ON THE GND. I OBSERVED NO OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN, TURNED BASE AND FINAL. I NEVER OBSERVED A LIGHT GUN IN THE TWR (I WAS LOOKING PRETTY HARD). THE CTLR LATER TOLD ME THEY USED ONE. I ALSO FAILED TO DIAL 121.5, WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT ME ON FREQ WITH TUS IMMEDIATELY. I LANDED AND IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE TWR TO 'FACE THE MUSIC.' THE CTLR WAS QUITE UNDERSTANDING AND SPENT SOME TIME REVIEWING WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE. HE TOLD ME, SINCE I HADN'T RISKED ANY LIVES, ETC., HE WOULD NOT WRITE ME UP. HE RECOMMEND THAT I REVIEW THE FAR, AIM AND TAKE SOME TRAINING WITH BUSY ARPT PROCS/OPS.

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.