Narrative:

As a student pilot I was scheduled to fly my long cross country trip. I called flight service and talked to a WX briefer. The conditions were VFR, no NOTAMS or sigmets and winds aloft were 20-28 KTS, WX was perfect. The first 2 legs of the trip were fine. I left columbia county, ny, for my last leg home and monitored the albany approach frequency. They did put out a SIGMET for high winds below 10000'. It was getting difficult to stay on course. I passed the chester VOR and turned in the reciprocal right and proceeded to chase the CDI, mistake #1. I drifted off course and lost all my landmarks. After circling for 30 min, I decided to land. I was nervous and could not think clearly. I landed at bradley airport in ct. I landed west/O radio contact, knowing it was wrong but thought it was best to land before I crashed, however, I did have 1/2 tanks on both wings. The tower did give me a green light to land. I called my instrument and he flew down and flew me back home. Next day we flew the plan back home. He did say that there were also warning of wind shear that day. I was disappointed that all the corrective action I was taught, I never used, panic overtook me. A bad learning lesson. Strong winds did not help the day, and it was a good lesson in self control. Looks like a few review lessons were in order.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT ON SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY GOT LOST AND ENTERED BDL ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC AND LANDED WITHOUT CALLING THE TWR. TWR SIGNAL LIGHT CTL OBSERVED BEFORE LNDG.

Narrative: AS A STUDENT PLT I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY MY LONG XCOUNTRY TRIP. I CALLED FLT SVC AND TALKED TO A WX BRIEFER. THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR, NO NOTAMS OR SIGMETS AND WINDS ALOFT WERE 20-28 KTS, WX WAS PERFECT. THE FIRST 2 LEGS OF THE TRIP WERE FINE. I LEFT COLUMBIA COUNTY, NY, FOR MY LAST LEG HOME AND MONITORED THE ALBANY APCH FREQ. THEY DID PUT OUT A SIGMET FOR HIGH WINDS BELOW 10000'. IT WAS GETTING DIFFICULT TO STAY ON COURSE. I PASSED THE CHESTER VOR AND TURNED IN THE RECIPROCAL R AND PROCEEDED TO CHASE THE CDI, MISTAKE #1. I DRIFTED OFF COURSE AND LOST ALL MY LANDMARKS. AFTER CIRCLING FOR 30 MIN, I DECIDED TO LAND. I WAS NERVOUS AND COULD NOT THINK CLRLY. I LANDED AT BRADLEY ARPT IN CT. I LANDED W/O RADIO CONTACT, KNOWING IT WAS WRONG BUT THOUGHT IT WAS BEST TO LAND BEFORE I CRASHED, HOWEVER, I DID HAVE 1/2 TANKS ON BOTH WINGS. THE TWR DID GIVE ME A GREEN LIGHT TO LAND. I CALLED MY INSTR AND HE FLEW DOWN AND FLEW ME BACK HOME. NEXT DAY WE FLEW THE PLAN BACK HOME. HE DID SAY THAT THERE WERE ALSO WARNING OF WIND SHEAR THAT DAY. I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL THE CORRECTIVE ACTION I WAS TAUGHT, I NEVER USED, PANIC OVERTOOK ME. A BAD LEARNING LESSON. STRONG WINDS DID NOT HELP THE DAY, AND IT WAS A GOOD LESSON IN SELF CTL. LOOKS LIKE A FEW REVIEW LESSONS WERE IN ORDER.

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.