Spi on solo cross country got lost between lrd and mfe. Crossed the river into mexico.

Attributes
ACN	123819
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mfe
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 40 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	123819
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In sept, 1989, I was flying the second leg of a x-country flight required for student pilots. The leg I was flying began in laredo, tx, and was to terminate in mc allen, tx. During this leg of the flight I accidentally crossed the border into mexico. I did not realize that I had crossed the border right away and continued flying in mexico. When I finally realized I was lost I was not within radio contact of mc allen. The terrain was desolate and sparsely populated. I continued on my heading until I reached a highway. I followed the highway for some time looking for a town and runway. When I finally realized I was in mexico my fuel was low and I knew I would have to land. I began looking for a safe landing spot and left the paved highway and followed a gravel road. During the landing the wingtips of the airplane were damaged by brush growing along side the road. I examined the wing tips and considered my alternatives. The residents told me the nearest phone was 70 kilometers away. I finally put 20 gallons of fuel in the plane and took off for mc allen. I landed in mc allen, took on fuel, and flew to my home base in corpus christi, tx.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI ON SOLO CROSS COUNTRY GOT LOST BETWEEN LRD AND MFE. CROSSED THE RIVER INTO MEXICO.

Narrative: IN SEPT, 1989, I WAS FLYING THE SECOND LEG OF A X-COUNTRY FLT REQUIRED FOR STUDENT PLTS. THE LEG I WAS FLYING BEGAN IN LAREDO, TX, AND WAS TO TERMINATE IN MC ALLEN, TX. DURING THIS LEG OF THE FLT I ACCIDENTALLY CROSSED THE BORDER INTO MEXICO. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I HAD CROSSED THE BORDER RIGHT AWAY AND CONTINUED FLYING IN MEXICO. WHEN I FINALLY REALIZED I WAS LOST I WAS NOT WITHIN RADIO CONTACT OF MC ALLEN. THE TERRAIN WAS DESOLATE AND SPARSELY POPULATED. I CONTINUED ON MY HDG UNTIL I REACHED A HIGHWAY. I FOLLOWED THE HIGHWAY FOR SOME TIME LOOKING FOR A TOWN AND RWY. WHEN I FINALLY REALIZED I WAS IN MEXICO MY FUEL WAS LOW AND I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO LAND. I BEGAN LOOKING FOR A SAFE LNDG SPOT AND LEFT THE PAVED HIGHWAY AND FOLLOWED A GRAVEL ROAD. DURING THE LNDG THE WINGTIPS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE DAMAGED BY BRUSH GROWING ALONG SIDE THE ROAD. I EXAMINED THE WING TIPS AND CONSIDERED MY ALTERNATIVES. THE RESIDENTS TOLD ME THE NEAREST PHONE WAS 70 KILOMETERS AWAY. I FINALLY PUT 20 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE PLANE AND TOOK OFF FOR MC ALLEN. I LANDED IN MC ALLEN, TOOK ON FUEL, AND FLEW TO MY HOME BASE IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TX.

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.