Narrative:

IFR flight returning to spokane international from wenatchee, wa, had cancelled IFR and was with spokane approach and then tower. Had looked down for something, and when I looked up was crossing final approach path for runway 5 at fairchild AFB. It was a clear night and their approach lights were on high intensity, and thinking I had passed the AFB I turned on final. Spokane tower cleared me to land and I was on very short final near the ground when I realized my mistake. I didn't know what the best course of action was at that point, so I thought I'd better land and admit my mistake. Autoplt was coupled to the GPS on direct flight, and it led me almost to the threshold of runway 5 at fairchild. Fatigue and sinus infection were probably also factors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C-208 PLT LANDED AT A MIL ARPT BY MISTAKE.

Narrative: IFR FLT RETURNING TO SPOKANE INTL FROM WENATCHEE, WA, HAD CANCELLED IFR AND WAS WITH SPOKANE APCH AND THEN TWR. HAD LOOKED DOWN FOR SOMETHING, AND WHEN I LOOKED UP WAS XING FINAL APCH PATH FOR RWY 5 AT FAIRCHILD AFB. IT WAS A CLR NIGHT AND THEIR APCH LIGHTS WERE ON HIGH INTENSITY, AND THINKING I HAD PASSED THE AFB I TURNED ON FINAL. SPOKANE TWR CLRED ME TO LAND AND I WAS ON VERY SHORT FINAL NEAR THE GND WHEN I REALIZED MY MISTAKE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS AT THAT POINT, SO I THOUGHT I'D BETTER LAND AND ADMIT MY MISTAKE. AUTOPLT WAS COUPLED TO THE GPS ON DIRECT FLT, AND IT LED ME ALMOST TO THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 5 AT FAIRCHILD. FATIGUE AND SINUS INFECTION WERE PROBABLY ALSO FACTORS.

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.