Cessna 152
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6.8; Flight Crew Total 110; Flight Crew Type 80
Situational Awareness; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Landing Without Clearance
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Aircraft
In the afternoon; I took off [onboard a] Cessna 152 and intended to fly to SFZ. After takeoff for about 5 minutes; the GPS connection failed. I tried several times to reset the GPS but it did not help. Then I started to circle the aircraft and the GPS went back on for another 3 minutes. After I realized that the GPS was OK again; I made up my mind to fly to SFZ. While on route; the GPS failed again until I accidentally landed at PVD; which is a Class C airport. Even after I landed; I still believed that I landed at SFZ. Contributing factors; flying the aircraft without flight watch; which is important in navigating the flight. I reset the GPS but it did not help.Perceptions; judgments; decisions: at first I circled the aircraft; which was [the] right decision and performance; but I did not try to fly back to the based airport; which can prevent the event from happening. So bad decision based on GPS failure situation.I believe that in the future days; if the GPS fails again; I should first try contacting flight watch service and if necessary fly back to the based airport or closest airport instead of 'just go'.
Single engine Cessna pilot experiences a GPS failure on a flight to SFZ. After circling for a few minutes the GPS begins to function again and the flight is continued with a second failure occurring closer to SFZ. PVD airport is mistaken for SFZ and a landing ensues without contacting the Tower.