Narrative:

On 4/89 I approved a student pilot to make a cross country flight from dqh to dothan, al, and return. The student returned to dqh and related the following event to me. He stated shortly after passing the albany VOR he encountered a line of thunderstorms. His decision was to turn back. He approached an airport and decided to land. In his haste and state of anxiety he found a chart in the aircraft which listed the airport as albany, GA. The chart, a state aeronautical chart, listed the tower frequency as 118.8. The student attempted to make radio contact with the tower but was unable. Noting that there was a STAR to the left to 'ct' on the chart, he assumed it was part time operation and was not in operation. So, he proceeded and landed on the prevailing wind runway. He taxied to the FBO, refueled, and assuming the airport was still uncontrolled he taxied to the active runway and departed en route to dqh. It is my opinion that this student was distressed by the advent of the unexpected WX condition and in his haste to proceed and land at an airport, he did not use good judgement by using a chart unapproved for his operation. This student needs more instruction in chart interpretation and far's concerning flight into controled airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ON SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ENCOUNTERED TSTM ACTIVITY, SO DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE AND LANDED AND MADE TKOF WITHOUT CONTACTING TWR.

Narrative: ON 4/89 I APPROVED A STUDENT PLT TO MAKE A CROSS COUNTRY FLT FROM DQH TO DOTHAN, AL, AND RETURN. THE STUDENT RETURNED TO DQH AND RELATED THE FOLLOWING EVENT TO ME. HE STATED SHORTLY AFTER PASSING THE ALBANY VOR HE ENCOUNTERED A LINE OF TSTMS. HIS DECISION WAS TO TURN BACK. HE APCHED AN ARPT AND DECIDED TO LAND. IN HIS HASTE AND STATE OF ANXIETY HE FOUND A CHART IN THE ACFT WHICH LISTED THE ARPT AS ALBANY, GA. THE CHART, A STATE AERONAUTICAL CHART, LISTED THE TWR FREQ AS 118.8. THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TWR BUT WAS UNABLE. NOTING THAT THERE WAS A STAR TO THE LEFT TO 'CT' ON THE CHART, HE ASSUMED IT WAS PART TIME OPERATION AND WAS NOT IN OPERATION. SO, HE PROCEEDED AND LANDED ON THE PREVAILING WIND RWY. HE TAXIED TO THE FBO, REFUELED, AND ASSUMING THE ARPT WAS STILL UNCTLED HE TAXIED TO THE ACTIVE RWY AND DEPARTED ENRTE TO DQH. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS STUDENT WAS DISTRESSED BY THE ADVENT OF THE UNEXPECTED WX CONDITION AND IN HIS HASTE TO PROCEED AND LAND AT AN ARPT, HE DID NOT USE GOOD JUDGEMENT BY USING A CHART UNAPPROVED FOR HIS OPERATION. THIS STUDENT NEEDS MORE INSTRUCTION IN CHART INTERP AND FAR'S CONCERNING FLT INTO CTLED AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.