A cessna 182 pilot landed at vps, without clearance, in error.

Attributes
ACN	441423
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vps.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vps.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	441423
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an IFR approach to destin, fl, from the east, I was vectored north and east of dts for spacing. Pensacola approach advised heavy traffic in pattern plus 3 IFR arrs. Visibility was such that I had not yet found dts, and airport with which I was unfamiliar. When approach vectored me back south and west and asked to report airport in sight, I saw eglin and reported in sight. I switched to unicom and heard several aircraft reporting in the pattern. Concentrating on their reports, I failed to recognize eglin, even though there were F16's on the ramp. Eglin's north/south runway runs nearly the same as dts. I fixated on the runway and completed the pattern. It wasn't until short final that I realized this was not destin. I decided it was best to land and talk it over with eglin auths rather than go around and pretend I hadn't made an error. I should have stayed with approach control longer to be certain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 182 PLT LANDED AT VPS, WITHOUT CLRNC, IN ERROR.

Narrative: ON AN IFR APCH TO DESTIN, FL, FROM THE E, I WAS VECTORED N AND E OF DTS FOR SPACING. PENSACOLA APCH ADVISED HVY TFC IN PATTERN PLUS 3 IFR ARRS. VISIBILITY WAS SUCH THAT I HAD NOT YET FOUND DTS, AND ARPT WITH WHICH I WAS UNFAMILIAR. WHEN APCH VECTORED ME BACK S AND W AND ASKED TO RPT ARPT IN SIGHT, I SAW EGLIN AND RPTED IN SIGHT. I SWITCHED TO UNICOM AND HEARD SEVERAL ACFT RPTING IN THE PATTERN. CONCENTRATING ON THEIR RPTS, I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE EGLIN, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE F16'S ON THE RAMP. EGLIN'S N/S RWY RUNS NEARLY THE SAME AS DTS. I FIXATED ON THE RWY AND COMPLETED THE PATTERN. IT WASN'T UNTIL SHORT FINAL THAT I REALIZED THIS WAS NOT DESTIN. I DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO LAND AND TALK IT OVER WITH EGLIN AUTHS RATHER THAN GO AROUND AND PRETEND I HADN'T MADE AN ERROR. I SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH APCH CTL LONGER TO BE CERTAIN.

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.