Gen. James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, was on board the USAF C-17 that landed at Peter O. Knight Airport instead of MacDill Air Force Base last year.
Copies of the investigation report seen by the Tampa Bay Times revealed that pilot error was the main cause.
During the approach for MacDill Air Force Base, the pilot had mistaken Tampa Executive Airport for MacDill. The co-pilot and a crew member corrected him by saying it was Peter O. Knight Airport. So when the Peter O. Knight came into view, the entire crew mistaken it for MacDill and proceeded to land.
Investigators say the pilot had lost sleep over a phone left in a taxi. The 12 hour flight from Italy and a midair refueling sapped crew energy.
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