Low time pvr pilot gets lost on a night solo flight and lands at military field to see where he is.

Attributes
ACN	148366
Time
Date	199006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fme
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi tower : fme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 105 flight time type : 18
ASRS Report	148366
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a solo night x-country flight from unv to N92 at 7500' MSL, I passed over har VOR with VFR advisories provided by harrisburg approach. After leaving TRSA was unable to contact phl approach for further advisories, so I tuned into dupont VOR to track back. At this time I began reverse sensing on the VOR. Autoplt began tracking sse instead of northeast as I needed. After 10 mins I realized that I was off course, but could no longer pick up the VOR I was tracking on (I had already started descent thinking I was getting close to my home airport). I, at this time, saw a military rotating beacon below me and landed at this airport in order to find out where I was (ft meade, md). I then called FSS to tell them what had happened, then called bwi tower (whose airspace I entered) and told them what had happened, and that I would be taking off from ft meade in 5 mins and would again be entering their airspace. I took off. They gave me a heading home and I arrived west/O further incident. To keep this from happening again, I would always remember to keep accurate track of position and time for dead reckoning, especially at night and to review use of VOR use and limitations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PVR PLT GETS LOST ON A NIGHT SOLO FLT AND LANDS AT MIL FIELD TO SEE WHERE HE IS.

Narrative: DURING A SOLO NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT FROM UNV TO N92 AT 7500' MSL, I PASSED OVER HAR VOR WITH VFR ADVISORIES PROVIDED BY HARRISBURG APCH. AFTER LEAVING TRSA WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT PHL APCH FOR FURTHER ADVISORIES, SO I TUNED INTO DUPONT VOR TO TRACK BACK. AT THIS TIME I BEGAN REVERSE SENSING ON THE VOR. AUTOPLT BEGAN TRACKING SSE INSTEAD OF NE AS I NEEDED. AFTER 10 MINS I REALIZED THAT I WAS OFF COURSE, BUT COULD NO LONGER PICK UP THE VOR I WAS TRACKING ON (I HAD ALREADY STARTED DSNT THINKING I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO MY HOME ARPT). I, AT THIS TIME, SAW A MIL ROTATING BEACON BELOW ME AND LANDED AT THIS ARPT IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHERE I WAS (FT MEADE, MD). I THEN CALLED FSS TO TELL THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEN CALLED BWI TWR (WHOSE AIRSPACE I ENTERED) AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND THAT I WOULD BE TAKING OFF FROM FT MEADE IN 5 MINS AND WOULD AGAIN BE ENTERING THEIR AIRSPACE. I TOOK OFF. THEY GAVE ME A HDG HOME AND I ARRIVED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I WOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER TO KEEP ACCURATE TRACK OF POS AND TIME FOR DEAD RECKONING, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND TO REVIEW USE OF VOR USE AND LIMITATIONS.

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.