Narrative:

I was being vectored ese to clovis airfield. I passed one airfield, mins before, that I thought was cannon AFB. I was aware cannon was about 8 mi west of clovis. I received permission for a visual approach for airfield 5 mi at my 1 O'clock position. I reported airfield in sight. Entered final for runway 22 from right base. On close approach, observed military aircraft on tarmac and military flight west and immediately departed via a climbing right turn to the east. Contacted ZAB and explained situation for new vectors. Proximity of both clovis and cannon and my direction of flight and the fact that I had thought I passed cannon already set up this situation. ATC had an approximation of the airfield position relative to my line of flight. Either DME and radial monitoring, or ATC recognizing a turn to the wrong field by me could have prevented this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PLT MISIDENTED A MIL AIRFIELD AS HIS ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS BEING VECTORED ESE TO CLOVIS AIRFIELD. I PASSED ONE AIRFIELD, MINS BEFORE, THAT I THOUGHT WAS CANNON AFB. I WAS AWARE CANNON WAS ABOUT 8 MI W OF CLOVIS. I RECEIVED PERMISSION FOR A VISUAL APCH FOR AIRFIELD 5 MI AT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS. I RPTED AIRFIELD IN SIGHT. ENTERED FINAL FOR RWY 22 FROM R BASE. ON CLOSE APCH, OBSERVED MIL ACFT ON TARMAC AND MIL FLT W AND IMMEDIATELY DEPARTED VIA A CLBING R TURN TO THE E. CONTACTED ZAB AND EXPLAINED SIT FOR NEW VECTORS. PROX OF BOTH CLOVIS AND CANNON AND MY DIRECTION OF FLT AND THE FACT THAT I HAD THOUGHT I PASSED CANNON ALREADY SET UP THIS SIT. ATC HAD AN APPROXIMATION OF THE AIRFIELD POS RELATIVE TO MY LINE OF FLT. EITHER DME AND RADIAL MONITORING, OR ATC RECOGNIZING A TURN TO THE WRONG FIELD BY ME COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

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.