Small aircraft pilot disoriented penetrates TCA. Receives flight assist.

Attributes
ACN	163678
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl tower : mdw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 157 flight time type : 68
ASRS Report	163678
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left macomb, il, at xf:45 am local time to pick up a passenger in springfield, mo. I was to pickup a passenger and take her to pittsfield, il. I would then return to macomb, il, by xb:00 pm local time. I was flying over california missouri when my aircraft began to shake and I instantly lost 600 RPM. I called FSS they directed me to columbia, mo, where I landed. An exhaust valve on the small aircraft had malfunctioned. I was able to get another airplane by xa:45. I thought I could get the second airplane by xa:00. I was concerned about getting my passenger home to pittsfield before dark, since I was not current to carry passengers at night. I departed columbia at xb:00 pm local time landed at springfield at xb:50 pm local time departed springfield by xc:00 pm local time. I had estimated my time en route to be 2:00 hours. I was having trouble getting a good cross fix position on my VOR radios. I could not find any identifying landmarks. It was getting dark and I was supposed to be at my destination. I was able to see a river so I followed it to get a position fix or find an alternate airport. I started seeing all kinds of traffic, houses, etc. I realized I was in st louis and in big trouble. I called FSS they referred me to an air traffic controller, he helped me to land at downtown parks airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DISORIENTED PENETRATES TCA. RECEIVES FLT ASSIST.

Narrative: I L MACOMB, IL, AT XF:45 AM LCL TIME TO PICK UP A PAX IN SPRINGFIELD, MO. I WAS TO PICKUP A PAX AND TAKE HER TO PITTSFIELD, IL. I WOULD THEN RETURN TO MACOMB, IL, BY XB:00 PM LCL TIME. I WAS FLYING OVER CALIFORNIA MISSOURI WHEN MY ACFT BEGAN TO SHAKE AND I INSTANTLY LOST 600 RPM. I CALLED FSS THEY DIRECTED ME TO COLUMBIA, MO, WHERE I LANDED. AN EXHAUST VALVE ON THE SMA HAD MALFUNCTIONED. I WAS ABLE TO GET ANOTHER AIRPLANE BY XA:45. I THOUGHT I COULD GET THE SEC AIRPLANE BY XA:00. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING MY PAX HOME TO PITTSFIELD BEFORE DARK, SINCE I WAS NOT CURRENT TO CARRY PAXS AT NIGHT. I DEPARTED COLUMBIA AT XB:00 PM LCL TIME LANDED AT SPRINGFIELD AT XB:50 PM LCL TIME DEPARTED SPRINGFIELD BY XC:00 PM LCL TIME. I HAD ESTIMATED MY TIME ENRTE TO BE 2:00 HRS. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING A GOOD CROSS FIX POS ON MY VOR RADIOS. I COULD NOT FIND ANY IDENTIFYING LANDMARKS. IT WAS GETTING DARK AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT MY DEST. I WAS ABLE TO SEE A RIVER SO I FOLLOWED IT TO GET A POS FIX OR FIND AN ALTERNATE ARPT. I STARTED SEEING ALL KINDS OF TFC, HOUSES, ETC. I REALIZED I WAS IN ST LOUIS AND IN BIG TROUBLE. I CALLED FSS THEY REFERRED ME TO AN AIR TFC CTLR, HE HELPED ME TO LAND AT DOWNTOWN PARKS ARPT.

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.