Geographic disorientation: approaching and landing at the wrong airport

Geographic disorientation in aviation operations results from the failure of an aircrew to recognize and/or maintain the desired position relative to the external ground and airspace environment. Becoming lost during flight, intruding inadvertently into unauthorized airspace, selecting a wrong airway, landing on the wrong runway, and approaching the wrong airport--with or without actual landing--are some examples of inflight geographic disorientation. This is a relatively common phenomenon that can be experienced by any pilot, regardless of experience level and the type of pilot certification. This paper analyzes 75 cases of geographic disorientation that occurred among air carrier pilots plus 16 cases among general aviation pilots between 1982 and 1987. Inflight geographic disorientation can result from a variety of aeromedical and human factors (aircrew, operational, environmental) which, interacting with each other, create the ideal conditions for the occurrence of this phenomenon. The adverse consequences of geographic disorientation for the aircrew, passengers and aircraft are delineated along with specific preventive measures.