Narrative:

While VFR en route to 'myf' socal approach advised me I was clear of the class 'B' airspace, to squawk VFR, contact tower on 119.2, radar service terminated. I advised tower I was 18 KM east of the field landing with ATIS information. Tower advised me to make straight-in traffic for runway 28 and report mt helix. I advised 'unfamiliar with local terrain' tower advised that mt helix was 8 KM east of field. As I approached the airport at about 10 KM to the east I believe I identified mt helix and I called myf tower to advise. Tower responded that I was breaking up. I quickly dialed in the 2ND comm radio and got no response. I switched back and forth between comm #1 and comm #2, getting no response. I finally got my head back up and out the windscreen, saw the field in site. Continued the approach to land and on short final noticed the runway were marked '27', not '28'. Realizing I was not landing at my intended destination (and so far had not interfered with anyone) I decided to complete the landing and figure out what was happening with my comm radios as well as where I was. I finally realized I had lost radio contact because of terrain and I had landed at 'see' airport. I contacted tower, then ground, then socal approach. I then proceeded to my destination 'myf.' my lack of familiarity with the local terrain, coupled with my perceived loss of radio communications drew my focus from verifying that the field I was flying into corresponded with the VOR and DME fix I had dialed in previously for my destination. The chain of errors might have been avoided if I had asked for vectoring from socal approach to assure I had the field in sight. Beyond that, greater positional awareness rather than asking for a specific landmark would have avoided the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION, LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC AT THE WRONG ARPT BY A C-TURBO 206 PVT PLT AT SEE, CA.

Narrative: WHILE VFR ENRTE TO 'MYF' SOCAL APCH ADVISED ME I WAS CLR OF THE CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE, TO SQUAWK VFR, CONTACT TWR ON 119.2, RADAR SVC TERMINATED. I ADVISED TWR I WAS 18 KM E OF THE FIELD LNDG WITH ATIS INFO. TWR ADVISED ME TO MAKE STRAIGHT-IN TFC FOR RWY 28 AND RPT MT HELIX. I ADVISED 'UNFAMILIAR WITH LOCAL TERRAIN' TWR ADVISED THAT MT HELIX WAS 8 KM E OF FIELD. AS I APCHED THE ARPT AT ABOUT 10 KM TO THE E I BELIEVE I IDENTIFIED MT HELIX AND I CALLED MYF TWR TO ADVISE. TWR RESPONDED THAT I WAS BREAKING UP. I QUICKLY DIALED IN THE 2ND COMM RADIO AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I SWITCHED BACK AND FORTH BTWN COMM #1 AND COMM #2, GETTING NO RESPONSE. I FINALLY GOT MY HEAD BACK UP AND OUT THE WINDSCREEN, SAW THE FIELD IN SITE. CONTINUED THE APCH TO LAND AND ON SHORT FINAL NOTICED THE RWY WERE MARKED '27', NOT '28'. REALIZING I WAS NOT LNDG AT MY INTENDED DESTINATION (AND SO FAR HAD NOT INTERFERED WITH ANYONE) I DECIDED TO COMPLETE THE LNDG AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH MY COMM RADIOS AS WELL AS WHERE I WAS. I FINALLY REALIZED I HAD LOST RADIO CONTACT BECAUSE OF TERRAIN AND I HAD LANDED AT 'SEE' ARPT. I CONTACTED TWR, THEN GND, THEN SOCAL APCH. I THEN PROCEEDED TO MY DESTINATION 'MYF.' MY LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE LOCAL TERRAIN, COUPLED WITH MY PERCEIVED LOSS OF RADIO COMS DREW MY FOCUS FROM VERIFYING THAT THE FIELD I WAS FLYING INTO CORRESPONDED WITH THE VOR AND DME FIX I HAD DIALED IN PREVIOUSLY FOR MY DESTINATION. THE CHAIN OF ERRORS MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD ASKED FOR VECTORING FROM SOCAL APCH TO ASSURE I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. BEYOND THAT, GREATER POSITIONAL AWARENESS RATHER THAN ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC LANDMARK WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE ERROR.

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.