Small aircraft pilot flying jump aircraft becomes disoriented after dropping jumpers, cannot find de...

Attributes
ACN	129220
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5948
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nhk tower : sby
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	129220
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After climbing to 6000' over the target area, the parachutist jumped. The procedure is to circle to verify their descent. While doing so, I lost sight of the landing strip due to snow covering all the farm land area in which the landing strip is located. After attempting to locate it for several minutes I corresponded with approach and was vectored to wicomico county airport. As I made my approach to land I ran out of fuel. There was no damage to the aircraft nor bodily harm. Thank god I was able to land safely on the runway. I believe that due to the fact that I was unfamiliar with the area as far as reference points to the airport is concerned and due to the snow covered terrain, I became disoriented. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: he was in the process of learning the procedures for jump operations. Accepted the airplane from previous pilot and probably would have had enough fuel if he had not become disoriented. This was his second time flying from this airport. He used about 1/2 hour trying to orient himself, then decided he had better ask for help. ATC vectored to different airport because they were not familiar with his departure airport and it had no NAVAID. Propeller was windmilling as he touched down on the runway threshold.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT FLYING JUMP ACFT BECOMES DISORIENTED AFTER DROPPING JUMPERS, CANNOT FIND DEP ARPT. ATC FLT ASSIST, VECTORED TO LARGER ARPT AS RUNS OUT OF FUEL.

Narrative: AFTER CLIMBING TO 6000' OVER THE TARGET AREA, THE PARACHUTIST JUMPED. THE PROC IS TO CIRCLE TO VERIFY THEIR DSCNT. WHILE DOING SO, I LOST SIGHT OF THE LNDG STRIP DUE TO SNOW COVERING ALL THE FARM LAND AREA IN WHICH THE LNDG STRIP IS LOCATED. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE IT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES I CORRESPONDED WITH APCH AND WAS VECTORED TO WICOMICO COUNTY ARPT. AS I MADE MY APCH TO LAND I RAN OUT OF FUEL. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT NOR BODILY HARM. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO LAND SAFELY ON THE RWY. I BELIEVE THAT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AS FAR AS REFERENCE POINTS TO THE ARPT IS CONCERNED AND DUE TO THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN, I BECAME DISORIENTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING THE PROCS FOR JUMP OPERATIONS. ACCEPTED THE AIRPLANE FROM PREVIOUS PLT AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH FUEL IF HE HAD NOT BECOME DISORIENTED. THIS WAS HIS SECOND TIME FLYING FROM THIS ARPT. HE USED ABOUT 1/2 HOUR TRYING TO ORIENT HIMSELF, THEN DECIDED HE HAD BETTER ASK FOR HELP. ATC VECTORED TO DIFFERENT ARPT BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIS DEP ARPT AND IT HAD NO NAVAID. PROPELLER WAS WINDMILLING AS HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RWY THRESHOLD.

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.

Small aircraft pilot flying jump aircraft becomes disoriented after dropping jumpers, cannot find departure airport. ATC flight assist, vectored to larger airport as runs out of fuel.