Unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	174208
Time
Date	199103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 63 flight time total : 124 flight time type : 124
ASRS Report	174208
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight originated in rno. Lost the coaldale VOR signal and never picked up the beatty VOR signal. Drifted east into restr area. Finally picked up boulder city VOR and made corrective course. Was met at north las vegas terminal and briefed about situation. I was lost for approximately 40 mins due to terrain looking identically to unrestricted area and loss of VOR signal due to inability of signal to cross mountainous terrain. I made an honest mistake and can assure this will never happen again as I will make corrective action sooner if I should ever find myself in a similar situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLT ORIGINATED IN RNO. LOST THE COALDALE VOR SIGNAL AND NEVER PICKED UP THE BEATTY VOR SIGNAL. DRIFTED E INTO RESTR AREA. FINALLY PICKED UP BOULDER CITY VOR AND MADE CORRECTIVE COURSE. WAS MET AT N LAS VEGAS TERMINAL AND BRIEFED ABOUT SITUATION. I WAS LOST FOR APPROX 40 MINS DUE TO TERRAIN LOOKING IDENTICALLY TO UNRESTRICTED AREA AND LOSS OF VOR SIGNAL DUE TO INABILITY OF SIGNAL TO CROSS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. I MADE AN HONEST MISTAKE AND CAN ASSURE THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN AS I WILL MAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION SOONER IF I SHOULD EVER FIND MYSELF IN A SIMILAR SITUATION.

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.