Narrative:

I was a private pilot, on a training flight (cross country) and became preoccupied with my transponder which tpa approach said was not being picked up. I was advised that the airport tpf (peter O'knight airport) was at the 12 O'clock position 3 mi ahead so I switched frequencys to the tpf CTAF. Then I asked for TA's. No one answered for a while. Then traffic announced that they were departing runway 3. I then decided to enter on the downwind at a 45 degree angle, making proper position reports. When I was on final I realized the enormous size of the runway and recognized that I was at macdill AFB, the airport to the left of tpf, rather than tpf. I realized I was close to the ground and was in a better position (it would be more safe) to land rather than to depart the pattern at this point. So I executed a touch-and-go from macdill AFB and proceeded to contact departure. This student was not tracked down by macdill and I offered this information in hopes of remedying the situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT PERFORMS AN UNAUTH APCH LNDG TKOF AT A MIL FACILITY. UNAUTH PENETRATION OF MIL AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS A PVT PLT, ON A TRAINING FLT (XCOUNTRY) AND BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH MY XPONDER WHICH TPA APCH SAID WAS NOT BEING PICKED UP. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE ARPT TPF (PETER O'KNIGHT ARPT) WAS AT THE 12 O'CLOCK POS 3 MI AHEAD SO I SWITCHED FREQS TO THE TPF CTAF. THEN I ASKED FOR TA'S. NO ONE ANSWERED FOR A WHILE. THEN TFC ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE DEPARTING RWY 3. I THEN DECIDED TO ENTER ON THE DOWNWIND AT A 45 DEG ANGLE, MAKING PROPER POS RPTS. WHEN I WAS ON FINAL I REALIZED THE ENORMOUS SIZE OF THE RWY AND RECOGNIZED THAT I WAS AT MACDILL AFB, THE ARPT TO THE L OF TPF, RATHER THAN TPF. I REALIZED I WAS CLOSE TO THE GND AND WAS IN A BETTER POS (IT WOULD BE MORE SAFE) TO LAND RATHER THAN TO DEPART THE PATTERN AT THIS POINT. SO I EXECUTED A TOUCH-AND-GO FROM MACDILL AFB AND PROCEEDED TO CONTACT DEP. THIS STUDENT WAS NOT TRACKED DOWN BY MACDILL AND I OFFERED THIS INFO IN HOPES OF REMEDYING THE SIT.

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.