Low time pilot gets flight assist from cvs controller when pilot becomes lost and disoriented while ...

Attributes
ACN	153058
Time
Date	199007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvn
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvs artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 210 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	153058
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

X-country from pueblo, co, to west woodward, ok. Flight service was called and I was told that once we were out of pueblo, it would be mostly clear to west woodward. I filed a flight plan. Just east of lamar were clouds to the ground. We tried to go around to the north but found no openings. South were broken clouds in layers. At some point we became lost but found a road and 2 cities with landmarks matching those on our charts. They turned out to be the wrong cities and we were lost. I called FSS for help with a location. We were in touch with the sgt of cannon AFB. Sgt directed us to clovis, NM where we talked by phone from the airport. With the help of sgt we were on our way again in the direction first officer west woodward, ok. Helpful flight controllers along the way directed us to woodring, ok, (there must have been some confusion along the way because the last controller set us right down in woodring). Fortunately we were just a few mi from west woodward.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT GETS FLT ASSIST FROM CVS CTLR WHEN PLT BECOMES LOST AND DISORIENTED WHILE TRYING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE CLOUDS IN THE VICINITY OF CLOVIS, NM.

Narrative: X-COUNTRY FROM PUEBLO, CO, TO W WOODWARD, OK. FLT SVC WAS CALLED AND I WAS TOLD THAT ONCE WE WERE OUT OF PUEBLO, IT WOULD BE MOSTLY CLR TO W WOODWARD. I FILED A FLT PLAN. JUST E OF LAMAR WERE CLOUDS TO THE GND. WE TRIED TO GO AROUND TO THE N BUT FOUND NO OPENINGS. S WERE BROKEN CLOUDS IN LAYERS. AT SOME POINT WE BECAME LOST BUT FOUND A ROAD AND 2 CITIES WITH LANDMARKS MATCHING THOSE ON OUR CHARTS. THEY TURNED OUT TO BE THE WRONG CITIES AND WE WERE LOST. I CALLED FSS FOR HELP WITH A LOCATION. WE WERE IN TOUCH WITH THE SGT OF CANNON AFB. SGT DIRECTED US TO CLOVIS, NM WHERE WE TALKED BY PHONE FROM THE ARPT. WITH THE HELP OF SGT WE WERE ON OUR WAY AGAIN IN THE DIRECTION FO W WOODWARD, OK. HELPFUL FLT CTLRS ALONG THE WAY DIRECTED US TO WOODRING, OK, (THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE THE LAST CTLR SET US R DOWN IN WOODRING). FORTUNATELY WE WERE JUST A FEW MI FROM W WOODWARD.

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.

Low time pilot gets flight assist from cvs controller when pilot becomes lost and disoriented while trying to circumnavigate clouds in the vicinity of clovis, NM.