Small aircraft pilot becomes disoriented and flew into the msp TCA.

Attributes
ACN	144517
Time
Date	199005
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp airport : d97
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 481 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	144517
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a night flight from fcm around the msp TCA to D97 I flew via the pine bend refinery. D97 is approximately 5 NM nnw of pine bend. As I passed over the refinery (flying from the south to the north), I called out my intention on the unicom frequency for D97. I received a call that I was not on the D97 frequency. The communication switch was not set to the radio set up for the D97 unicom. At this point I still did not have the airport in sight. I looked back into the cockpit, made the radio change and call. I looked back outside the aircraft and continued to look forward and to the left for the airport. I traveled a couple of more mi and not finding the airport where I thought it would be, with unfamiliar ground lights, I made a 90 degree turn to the east. About 15 seconds after wings level flts, I spotted the airport (D97) ahead and off my left wing about a half mi away. I believe the radio distraction, a slight drift to the west, focusing on a area where I thought the airport should be, and not scanning the entire forward area that led to a slight disorientation and the possibility of intrusion into the msp TCA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED AND FLEW INTO THE MSP TCA.

Narrative: ON A NIGHT FLT FROM FCM AROUND THE MSP TCA TO D97 I FLEW VIA THE PINE BEND REFINERY. D97 IS APPROX 5 NM NNW OF PINE BEND. AS I PASSED OVER THE REFINERY (FLYING FROM THE S TO THE N), I CALLED OUT MY INTENTION ON THE UNICOM FREQ FOR D97. I RECEIVED A CALL THAT I WAS NOT ON THE D97 FREQ. THE COM SWITCH WAS NOT SET TO THE RADIO SET UP FOR THE D97 UNICOM. AT THIS POINT I STILL DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I LOOKED BACK INTO THE COCKPIT, MADE THE RADIO CHANGE AND CALL. I LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE THE ACFT AND CONTINUED TO LOOK FORWARD AND TO THE L FOR THE ARPT. I TRAVELED A COUPLE OF MORE MI AND NOT FINDING THE ARPT WHERE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, WITH UNFAMILIAR GND LIGHTS, I MADE A 90 DEG TURN TO THE E. ABOUT 15 SECS AFTER WINGS LEVEL FLTS, I SPOTTED THE ARPT (D97) AHEAD AND OFF MY L WING ABOUT A HALF MI AWAY. I BELIEVE THE RADIO DISTR, A SLIGHT DRIFT TO THE W, FOCUSING ON A AREA WHERE I THOUGHT THE ARPT SHOULD BE, AND NOT SCANNING THE ENTIRE FORWARD AREA THAT LED TO A SLIGHT DISORIENTATION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRUSION INTO THE MSP TCA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.