Narrative:

Departed saline county airport on x-country training flight to greenville, ms. I could not pick up pine bluff VOR and thought no problem to continue on to greenville tried to tune in VOR and could not receive. I have watched films on radio navigation showing FSS services saying give them a call any time. With this in mind I radioed little rock FSS 122.35 (no reply), 122.55 (no reply), so I radioed memphis FSS 122.0 (no reply). I called greenville tower 119.0 (no reply). Ft worth center radioed me if I needed assistance. I told them I had lost my bearing and asked if they could give me a radar fix to get a bearing. They gave me several VOR frequency to try but neg results. They had me climb to 5000' and try again. Neg results. Ft worth center then instructed me to tune 7700 on transponder and identify. Knowing 7700 was emergency only I hesitated thinking there was no emergency but I complied as instructed. Ft worth center then wanted to know where I wanted to go, everything working the way it was I decided taxarkana, continuing that leg of my flight. They gave me heading 070 degree to texarkana. In route I picked up magnolia on ADF and tuned in texarkana VOR with positive results. Upon landing at texarkana a call from FAA flight standards had called to ground me. I had to leave aircraft in texarkana come home and take my CFI with me to fly aircraft back to saline county the next day. We have found that compass is possibly incorrect and VOR would operate intermittently. Aircraft will not be flown until items are checked and corrected if necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLT LOSES BEARINGS. FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: DEPARTED SALINE COUNTY ARPT ON X-COUNTRY TRNING FLT TO GREENVILLE, MS. I COULD NOT PICK UP PINE BLUFF VOR AND THOUGHT NO PROB TO CONTINUE ON TO GREENVILLE TRIED TO TUNE IN VOR AND COULD NOT RECEIVE. I HAVE WATCHED FILMS ON RADIO NAV SHOWING FSS SVCS SAYING GIVE THEM A CALL ANY TIME. WITH THIS IN MIND I RADIOED LITTLE ROCK FSS 122.35 (NO REPLY), 122.55 (NO REPLY), SO I RADIOED MEMPHIS FSS 122.0 (NO REPLY). I CALLED GREENVILLE TWR 119.0 (NO REPLY). FT WORTH CTR RADIOED ME IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE. I TOLD THEM I HAD LOST MY BEARING AND ASKED IF THEY COULD GIVE ME A RADAR FIX TO GET A BEARING. THEY GAVE ME SEVERAL VOR FREQ TO TRY BUT NEG RESULTS. THEY HAD ME CLB TO 5000' AND TRY AGAIN. NEG RESULTS. FT WORTH CTR THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO TUNE 7700 ON XPONDER AND IDENT. KNOWING 7700 WAS EMER ONLY I HESITATED THINKING THERE WAS NO EMER BUT I COMPLIED AS INSTRUCTED. FT WORTH CTR THEN WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I WANTED TO GO, EVERYTHING WORKING THE WAY IT WAS I DECIDED TAXARKANA, CONTINUING THAT LEG OF MY FLT. THEY GAVE ME HDG 070 DEG TO TEXARKANA. IN RTE I PICKED UP MAGNOLIA ON ADF AND TUNED IN TEXARKANA VOR WITH POSITIVE RESULTS. UPON LNDG AT TEXARKANA A CALL FROM FAA FLT STANDARDS HAD CALLED TO GND ME. I HAD TO LEAVE ACFT IN TEXARKANA COME HOME AND TAKE MY CFI WITH ME TO FLY ACFT BACK TO SALINE COUNTY THE NEXT DAY. WE HAVE FOUND THAT COMPASS IS POSSIBLY INCORRECT AND VOR WOULD OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. ACFT WILL NOT BE FLOWN UNTIL ITEMS ARE CHKED AND CORRECTED IF NECESSARY.

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.