Airline pilot in a C180 makes an approach to the wrong airport.

Attributes
ACN	470020
Time
Date	200004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hfff.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	470020
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a VFR flight from harrisburg, PA, area to private strip near palatka, fl. Moderate turbulence below 9000 ft. I was contemplating where to stop for fuel. Had been in maxton (meb) about 2 months ago. Came around fort bragg restr area and saw an airport that looked remarkably like meb (same layout). I decided I might as well stop there again. After approaching for landing on what I thought was runway 23 at meb, realized was not the correct airport. I promptly went around. Did not realize until later that I had approached mackell AFB. I do not know if class D airspace was in effect. Blame error on turbulence and being tired (started flight later in the day) and not planning where I wanted to stop for fuel. Am an experienced airline pilot and should know better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRLINE PLT IN A C180 MAKES AN APCH TO THE WRONG ARPT.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM HARRISBURG, PA, AREA TO PVT STRIP NEAR PALATKA, FL. MODERATE TURB BELOW 9000 FT. I WAS CONTEMPLATING WHERE TO STOP FOR FUEL. HAD BEEN IN MAXTON (MEB) ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. CAME AROUND FORT BRAGG RESTR AREA AND SAW AN ARPT THAT LOOKED REMARKABLY LIKE MEB (SAME LAYOUT). I DECIDED I MIGHT AS WELL STOP THERE AGAIN. AFTER APCHING FOR LNDG ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RWY 23 AT MEB, REALIZED WAS NOT THE CORRECT ARPT. I PROMPTLY WENT AROUND. DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL LATER THAT I HAD APCHED MACKELL AFB. I DO NOT KNOW IF CLASS D AIRSPACE WAS IN EFFECT. BLAME ERROR ON TURB AND BEING TIRED (STARTED FLT LATER IN THE DAY) AND NOT PLANNING WHERE I WANTED TO STOP FOR FUEL. AM AN EXPERIENCED AIRLINE PLT AND SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

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.