Narrative:

While I was over boston TCA at 9000 ft, I took a heading of 230 degrees for 5 mi then took a heading of 030 degrees for laurance, ma. I looked on my sectional and saw laurance, ma at about 20 mi (so I thought), but I was actually looking at bedford, ma. I started a fast descent at which time I broke boston TCA at 4000 ft. While following directions to report my 2 mi final to laurance, they asked if I was the cessna 172 in sight on 1/4 mi final. Again, not realizing I was headed for bedford airport, I, mistakenly, told laurance that this plane they saw was me. Then did a fly-by at which time realizing that I was at the wrong airport. After landing I contact boston TRACON and explained what had happened. I contribute this mishap to poor navigation, misjudging the airport and high altitude flying. Supplemental information from acn 300118: I was a student pilot staying in the pattern. High traffic density and being careful to look for my traffic. On short final, I was low and busy holding altitude (red over red on VASI) when I saw an aircraft pass overhead, overtaking at approximately 5-10 KTS. Other aircraft was high wing, so he could have seen me, I think. My aircraft was white, although I may not have been visible in ground clutter. I saw other aircraft approximately 3 seconds before tower called me to execute go around. The other aircraft was 'intentions unknown.' I believe he was on the GS, but he might have been high. Very difficult to judge relative separation. He was just off center (to my right), and above, fixed landing gear and aircraft belly clearly visible. By the time I saw him danger had passed. There was nothing I could have done once we were both on final. (I was in right traffic, I believe he came in l-handed, but don't know). I found out later, that other aircraft was talking to lwm tower not bed (approximately 15 mi northeast) both airports were using runway 5, similar length runways. But lvm has a big lake next to the airport, bed does not. Other pilot very confused. Also, lvm has a VOR to track to it. (Bed does not). After go around, tower told me other aircraft was NORDO and that's why he cut in front. When reading the aim, it seemed that, because our separation was less than 500 ft, this should be called a near midair collision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACES WITH RESULTING NMAC.

Narrative: WHILE I WAS OVER BOSTON TCA AT 9000 FT, I TOOK A HDG OF 230 DEGS FOR 5 MI THEN TOOK A HDG OF 030 DEGS FOR LAURANCE, MA. I LOOKED ON MY SECTIONAL AND SAW LAURANCE, MA AT ABOUT 20 MI (SO I THOUGHT), BUT I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT BEDFORD, MA. I STARTED A FAST DSCNT AT WHICH TIME I BROKE BOSTON TCA AT 4000 FT. WHILE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS TO RPT MY 2 MI FINAL TO LAURANCE, THEY ASKED IF I WAS THE CESSNA 172 IN SIGHT ON 1/4 MI FINAL. AGAIN, NOT REALIZING I WAS HEADED FOR BEDFORD ARPT, I, MISTAKENLY, TOLD LAURANCE THAT THIS PLANE THEY SAW WAS ME. THEN DID A FLY-BY AT WHICH TIME REALIZING THAT I WAS AT THE WRONG ARPT. AFTER LNDG I CONTACT BOSTON TRACON AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I CONTRIBUTE THIS MISHAP TO POOR NAV, MISJUDGING THE ARPT AND HIGH ALT FLYING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 300118: I WAS A STUDENT PLT STAYING IN THE PATTERN. HIGH TFC DENSITY AND BEING CAREFUL TO LOOK FOR MY TFC. ON SHORT FINAL, I WAS LOW AND BUSY HOLDING ALT (RED OVER RED ON VASI) WHEN I SAW AN ACFT PASS OVERHEAD, OVERTAKING AT APPROX 5-10 KTS. OTHER ACFT WAS HIGH WING, SO HE COULD HAVE SEEN ME, I THINK. MY ACFT WAS WHITE, ALTHOUGH I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN VISIBLE IN GND CLUTTER. I SAW OTHER ACFT APPROX 3 SECONDS BEFORE TWR CALLED ME TO EXECUTE GAR. THE OTHER ACFT WAS 'INTENTIONS UNKNOWN.' I BELIEVE HE WAS ON THE GS, BUT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HIGH. VERY DIFFICULT TO JUDGE RELATIVE SEPARATION. HE WAS JUST OFF CTR (TO MY R), AND ABOVE, FIXED LNDG GEAR AND ACFT BELLY CLRLY VISIBLE. BY THE TIME I SAW HIM DANGER HAD PASSED. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE ONCE WE WERE BOTH ON FINAL. (I WAS IN R TFC, I BELIEVE HE CAME IN L-HANDED, BUT DON'T KNOW). I FOUND OUT LATER, THAT OTHER ACFT WAS TALKING TO LWM TWR NOT BED (APPROX 15 MI NE) BOTH ARPTS WERE USING RWY 5, SIMILAR LENGTH RWYS. BUT LVM HAS A BIG LAKE NEXT TO THE ARPT, BED DOES NOT. OTHER PLT VERY CONFUSED. ALSO, LVM HAS A VOR TO TRACK TO IT. (BED DOES NOT). AFTER GAR, TWR TOLD ME OTHER ACFT WAS NORDO AND THAT'S WHY HE CUT IN FRONT. WHEN READING THE AIM, IT SEEMED THAT, BECAUSE OUR SEPARATION WAS LESS THAN 500 FT, THIS SHOULD BE CALLED A NMAC.

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.