GA small aircraft pilot got lost near stl. Says he followed the wrong road.

Attributes
ACN	128830
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cap
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl tower : sln
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	128830
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ending trip. Precise position control until over last fix, approximately 15 mi from small private destination airport. At this point, I stopped flying. I misjudged my ability to find the field (after all, I had been into it twice before!), and was blown east of course. I had followed the wrong road from last fix. After the appropriate time interval, I knew we were not over the correct town. Rather than climb, get a VOR position fix and navigation to correct airport, I climbed and contacted stl approach. They gave me a course to destination. No emergency, 4 hours of fuel remaining. Moral: don't reduce vigilance until aircraft is stopped. Don't rely on rental aircraft ADF equipment. Call ATC to let them know that you are there when it is congested area, or if near TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT GOT LOST NEAR STL. SAYS HE FOLLOWED THE WRONG ROAD.

Narrative: ENDING TRIP. PRECISE POS CTL UNTIL OVER LAST FIX, APPROX 15 MI FROM SMALL PVT DEST ARPT. AT THIS POINT, I STOPPED FLYING. I MISJUDGED MY ABILITY TO FIND THE FIELD (AFTER ALL, I HAD BEEN INTO IT TWICE BEFORE!), AND WAS BLOWN E OF COURSE. I HAD FOLLOWED THE WRONG ROAD FROM LAST FIX. AFTER THE APPROPRIATE TIME INTERVAL, I KNEW WE WERE NOT OVER THE CORRECT TOWN. RATHER THAN CLB, GET A VOR POS FIX AND NAV TO CORRECT ARPT, I CLBED AND CONTACTED STL APCH. THEY GAVE ME A COURSE TO DEST. NO EMER, 4 HRS OF FUEL REMAINING. MORAL: DON'T REDUCE VIGILANCE UNTIL ACFT IS STOPPED. DON'T RELY ON RENTAL ACFT ADF EQUIP. CALL ATC TO LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU ARE THERE WHEN IT IS CONGESTED AREA, OR IF NEAR TCA.

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.