A student pilot in a Cessna 152 was flying from Denton, Texas, to the Ardmore (Okla.) Municipal Airport (KADM). During the trip, he obtained VFR flight following from ATC. At his last checkpoint, he was told Ardmore was at his 12 oclock and 10 miles. The student contacted what he thought was Ardmore Municipal Tower and reported his position. It is unclear from the report, but it appears that he may have entered the wrong frequency.
Verified
Wendy Smith (L) and Lt. Col. CassidyUSAF
Key Takeaways:
Always conduct thorough preflight planning, actively use and cross-reference all available navigation aids (EFBs, GPS, VORs, charts), and verify airport/runway identification (e.g., ILS Morse code).
Foster strong Crew Resource Management (CRM) by encouraging all cockpit occupants to voice concerns and question discrepancies, and promptly communicate erratic instrument data to ATC.
Strictly adhere to established flight procedures, especially go-around protocols, and always respect aircraft performance limitations by consulting weight and balance as well as takeoff/landing charts.
In a previous article (“Is This The Right Runway?” April 2017), we looked at a few selected reports of pilots landing on the wrong runway or on a taxiway. From their errors, we learned that weather, fatigue, last-minute ATC requests and many more in-cockpit distractions can contribute to touching down in the wrong spot, albeit at the right airport.
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