Narrative:

At the end of an all night flight from la (whp) to aurora, co (01V), on IFR flight plan, den approach was giving radar vectors to 01V. I looked to my left and observed an airport at my 9 O'clock position (40 degrees off left wing). I asked the controller if 01V (aurora airpark) was on my 9 O'clock. The controller stated 'yes it is.' I advised den approach that I was canceling IFR and entering the airport pattern. I was told to squawk 1200 and switch to unicom. I broadcast on unicom (122.8) and was advised runway 14 was active. I noted that the location appeared to have a tower and could possibly be a closed airbase open for GA like sbd and socal international. There was no visible traffic at the airport and I landed. I noticed that the runways were aligned the same as my airport diagram indicated including the same compass heading. On taxiing off the runway I was advised on unicom that I had landed at buckley air national guard (ANG) base. Upon talking to base personnel, they indicated that this happens occasionally due to the airport orientation and close proximity to aurora airpark. It is my belief that this could be avoided several ways. 1) not relying on ATC to confirm the airport location without xref to available navaids. 2) not relying on past experience with former airbases converted to GA airports, to not question the look of facility (more thorough review of airport facility directory). Most importantly this incident could be prevented from occurring by prominently placing the airport name or identifier on the runway, or taxiway or near compass numbers on the approach end of the runway. Had I seen any airport name in the runway or taxiway environment, I would have not landed at the facility, especially since both airports are in close proximity and have the same runway headings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANDED WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: AT THE END OF AN ALL NIGHT FLT FROM LA (WHP) TO AURORA, CO (01V), ON IFR FLT PLAN, DEN APCH WAS GIVING RADAR VECTORS TO 01V. I LOOKED TO MY L AND OBSERVED AN ARPT AT MY 9 O'CLOCK POS (40 DEGS OFF L WING). I ASKED THE CTLR IF 01V (AURORA AIRPARK) WAS ON MY 9 O'CLOCK. THE CTLR STATED 'YES IT IS.' I ADVISED DEN APCH THAT I WAS CANCELING IFR AND ENTERING THE ARPT PATTERN. I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200 AND SWITCH TO UNICOM. I BROADCAST ON UNICOM (122.8) AND WAS ADVISED RWY 14 WAS ACTIVE. I NOTED THAT THE LOCATION APPEARED TO HAVE A TWR AND COULD POSSIBLY BE A CLOSED AIRBASE OPEN FOR GA LIKE SBD AND SOCAL INTL. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE TFC AT THE ARPT AND I LANDED. I NOTICED THAT THE RWYS WERE ALIGNED THE SAME AS MY ARPT DIAGRAM INDICATED INCLUDING THE SAME COMPASS HDG. ON TAXIING OFF THE RWY I WAS ADVISED ON UNICOM THAT I HAD LANDED AT BUCKLEY AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG) BASE. UPON TALKING TO BASE PERSONNEL, THEY INDICATED THAT THIS HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY DUE TO THE ARPT ORIENTATION AND CLOSE PROX TO AURORA AIRPARK. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS COULD BE AVOIDED SEVERAL WAYS. 1) NOT RELYING ON ATC TO CONFIRM THE ARPT LOCATION WITHOUT XREF TO AVAILABLE NAVAIDS. 2) NOT RELYING ON PAST EXPERIENCE WITH FORMER AIRBASES CONVERTED TO GA ARPTS, TO NOT QUESTION THE LOOK OF FACILITY (MORE THOROUGH REVIEW OF ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY). MOST IMPORTANTLY THIS INCIDENT COULD BE PREVENTED FROM OCCURRING BY PROMINENTLY PLACING THE ARPT NAME OR IDENTIFIER ON THE RWY, OR TXWY OR NEAR COMPASS NUMBERS ON THE APCH END OF THE RWY. HAD I SEEN ANY ARPT NAME IN THE RWY OR TXWY ENVIRONMENT, I WOULD HAVE NOT LANDED AT THE FACILITY, ESPECIALLY SINCE BOTH ARPTS ARE IN CLOSE PROX AND HAVE THE SAME RWY HDGS.

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.