A navion ATP pilot enters the class D of gcn airport and then lands at that airport without checking in with the tower. Pilot had thought gcn was 40G, valle airport, 20 mi south of gcn, az.

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Attributes
ACN	476730
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gcn.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Navion Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : parked landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 20000
ASRS Report	476730
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry incursion : landing without clearance incursion : runway non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying from prc to grand canyon airport, az. When 10 mi south I called on 122.8 as advised by telephone the previous day. Unicom responded with wind direction and detailed instructions. After landing, taxi toward the big hangar and a marshaller will assist in parking. I was not aware that there are 2 airports at grand canyon. My call was answered by grand canyon valle airport, which was my intended destination. By this time grand canyon airport was in sight. I entered the traffic pattern making appropriate calls on 122.8 and landed. After clearing the runway I taxied toward the big hangar and was met by a marshaller as expected. He said, 'the tower wants you to call them.' 'tower?' 'yes, the normal frequency 119.0 is out and they're using 132.85.' I called, apologized and was cleared to take off for grand canyon valle airport 20 mi south. I believe 2 airports with the same or similar names can cause confusion to pilots not familiar with the area. The second airport is on the WAC chart as valle, but no mention that it was also grand canyon. The only result of this error was my acute embarrassment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A NAVION ATP PLT ENTERS THE CLASS D OF GCN ARPT AND THEN LANDS AT THAT ARPT WITHOUT CHKING IN WITH THE TWR. PLT HAD THOUGHT GCN WAS 40G, VALLE ARPT, 20 MI S OF GCN, AZ.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM PRC TO GRAND CANYON ARPT, AZ. WHEN 10 MI S I CALLED ON 122.8 AS ADVISED BY TELEPHONE THE PREVIOUS DAY. UNICOM RESPONDED WITH WIND DIRECTION AND DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER LNDG, TAXI TOWARD THE BIG HANGAR AND A MARSHALLER WILL ASSIST IN PARKING. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THERE ARE 2 ARPTS AT GRAND CANYON. MY CALL WAS ANSWERED BY GRAND CANYON VALLE ARPT, WHICH WAS MY INTENDED DEST. BY THIS TIME GRAND CANYON ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. I ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN MAKING APPROPRIATE CALLS ON 122.8 AND LANDED. AFTER CLRING THE RWY I TAXIED TOWARD THE BIG HANGAR AND WAS MET BY A MARSHALLER AS EXPECTED. HE SAID, 'THE TWR WANTS YOU TO CALL THEM.' 'TWR?' 'YES, THE NORMAL FREQ 119.0 IS OUT AND THEY'RE USING 132.85.' I CALLED, APOLOGIZED AND WAS CLRED TO TAKE OFF FOR GRAND CANYON VALLE ARPT 20 MI S. I BELIEVE 2 ARPTS WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR NAMES CAN CAUSE CONFUSION TO PLTS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. THE SECOND ARPT IS ON THE WAC CHART AS VALLE, BUT NO MENTION THAT IT WAS ALSO GRAND CANYON. THE ONLY RESULT OF THIS ERROR WAS MY ACUTE EMBARRASSMENT.

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.