Narrative:

My first officer and I departed at approximately XA43 on an IFR flight plan to ZZZ. We were assigned an altitude of 8000 ft by approach. When we were within approximately 8-10 NM southwest of ZZZZ VOR approach instructed us to maintain 8000 ft report airport in sight. I had the airport clearly in sight and had my first officer report that. Approach acknowledged and said again -- maintain 8000 ft. I was on the 45 degree to enter a left downwind for runway 24. Approximately 4200 ft above the pattern altitude I wanted to be at so I had my first officer cancel IFR. Approach acknowledged the cancellation and did not ask us to squawk VFR; and said nothing else regarding our position. Both my first officer and I felt we were downwind for runway 24 at ZZZ. When we were actually downwind for runway 25 at ZZZ1 approximately 9-10 NM east of ZZZ. I saw a green and white beacon flash twice. I didn't see a double white and single green. ZZZ tower was closed so we announced our position and landed. While on short final; another civilian aircraft called us saying approach was trying to reach us. The pilot was saying that approach was insisting that we were cleared to ZZZ1 and not to ZZZ. This made no sense to me or my first officer; but it did serve as a distraction as he kept repeating it. After landing; I tried to reach approach but could not. It was then after clearing the runway I realized we had landed at ZZZ1 and not ZZZ. 1) my first officer was fairly new in the airplane. 2) we were trying to get into and out of ZZZ with 7 passenger before XA00; as at that time the airport was notamed closed until XD00 due to runway construction. ZZZ tower opens at XA00. 3) I am familiar with this area and have flown into and around ZZZ and ZZZ1 for many years; usually during the day however; I certainly could have used my GPS and VHF navs and DME to confirm my position; but I was lulled into a sense of security by approach control who said nothing regarding my position when we canceled IFR. 4) the runways at ZZZ and ZZZ1 are runways 24 and 25. Our clearance was departure airport direct ZZZ; ZZZ1 and I thought dispatch to ZZZ was reading in my HSI...but instead it was ZZZ1 and approach control said nothing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LR35 PLT RPTS LNDG AT A WRONG ARPT AT NIGHT 9 NM FROM HIS DEST ON A RWY WHOSE ORIENTATION WAS THE SAME AS HIS INTENDED DEST.

Narrative: MY FO AND I DEPARTED AT APPROX XA43 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ZZZ. WE WERE ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 8000 FT BY APCH. WHEN WE WERE WITHIN APPROX 8-10 NM SW OF ZZZZ VOR APCH INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT RPT ARPT IN SIGHT. I HAD THE ARPT CLRLY IN SIGHT AND HAD MY FO RPT THAT. APCH ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID AGAIN -- MAINTAIN 8000 FT. I WAS ON THE 45 DEG TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24. APPROX 4200 FT ABOVE THE PATTERN ALT I WANTED TO BE AT SO I HAD MY FO CANCEL IFR. APCH ACKNOWLEDGED THE CANCELLATION AND DID NOT ASK US TO SQUAWK VFR; AND SAID NOTHING ELSE REGARDING OUR POS. BOTH MY FO AND I FELT WE WERE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24 AT ZZZ. WHEN WE WERE ACTUALLY DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25 AT ZZZ1 APPROX 9-10 NM E OF ZZZ. I SAW A GREEN AND WHITE BEACON FLASH TWICE. I DIDN'T SEE A DOUBLE WHITE AND SINGLE GREEN. ZZZ TWR WAS CLOSED SO WE ANNOUNCED OUR POS AND LANDED. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL; ANOTHER CIVILIAN ACFT CALLED US SAYING APCH WAS TRYING TO REACH US. THE PLT WAS SAYING THAT APCH WAS INSISTING THAT WE WERE CLRED TO ZZZ1 AND NOT TO ZZZ. THIS MADE NO SENSE TO ME OR MY FO; BUT IT DID SERVE AS A DISTR AS HE KEPT REPEATING IT. AFTER LNDG; I TRIED TO REACH APCH BUT COULD NOT. IT WAS THEN AFTER CLRING THE RWY I REALIZED WE HAD LANDED AT ZZZ1 AND NOT ZZZ. 1) MY FO WAS FAIRLY NEW IN THE AIRPLANE. 2) WE WERE TRYING TO GET INTO AND OUT OF ZZZ WITH 7 PAX BEFORE XA00; AS AT THAT TIME THE ARPT WAS NOTAMED CLOSED UNTIL XD00 DUE TO RWY CONSTRUCTION. ZZZ TWR OPENS AT XA00. 3) I AM FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA AND HAVE FLOWN INTO AND AROUND ZZZ AND ZZZ1 FOR MANY YEARS; USUALLY DURING THE DAY HOWEVER; I CERTAINLY COULD HAVE USED MY GPS AND VHF NAVS AND DME TO CONFIRM MY POS; BUT I WAS LULLED INTO A SENSE OF SECURITY BY APCH CTL WHO SAID NOTHING REGARDING MY POS WHEN WE CANCELED IFR. 4) THE RWYS AT ZZZ AND ZZZ1 ARE RWYS 24 AND 25. OUR CLRNC WAS DEP ARPT DIRECT ZZZ; ZZZ1 AND I THOUGHT DISPATCH TO ZZZ WAS READING IN MY HSI...BUT INSTEAD IT WAS ZZZ1 AND APCH CTL SAID NOTHING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.