Narrative:

The pilot and his wife were heading for aln from the west with the VOR on the stl VORTAC (117.4). Approach was below 1800' MSL to stay below the stl TCA. Upon passing the VORTAC, tuned in on aln ATIS for airport information. After listening, pilot observed river and misperceived position. Visibility was around 4 mi, which contributed to the problem. Intended plan was to fly to the river and follow to the alton area. Error in location was discovered when pilot recognized a known landmark, the old st charles, mo bridge, which prompted an immediate turn to exit the area in the direction of st charles, mo. The pilot was not on approach control frequency, but did observe an airliner heading toward lambert field. Pilot would estimate the aircraft to be 1500' higher, so no course alteration was made. After contacting aln tower, pilot was asked to contact stl approach control by phone after landing. Pilot was informed that an air carrier Y pilot chose to declare a missed approach. Pilot agrees that the airline pilot made a proper decision if he thought it necessary for safety. The pilot is a beginning INS student and this is a prime example of how distraction along with marginal visibility can disorient a pilot. It is a lesson that will be remembered. To correct the situation and prevent a recurrence, the pilot will continue instruction and provide a larger buffer zone around restr airspace at all times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES STL TCA.

Narrative: THE PLT AND HIS WIFE WERE HDG FOR ALN FROM THE W WITH THE VOR ON THE STL VORTAC (117.4). APCH WAS BELOW 1800' MSL TO STAY BELOW THE STL TCA. UPON PASSING THE VORTAC, TUNED IN ON ALN ATIS FOR ARPT INFO. AFTER LISTENING, PLT OBSERVED RIVER AND MISPERCEIVED POS. VISIBILITY WAS AROUND 4 MI, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB. INTENDED PLAN WAS TO FLY TO THE RIVER AND FOLLOW TO THE ALTON AREA. ERROR IN LOCATION WAS DISCOVERED WHEN PLT RECOGNIZED A KNOWN LANDMARK, THE OLD ST CHARLES, MO BRIDGE, WHICH PROMPTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO EXIT THE AREA IN THE DIRECTION OF ST CHARLES, MO. THE PLT WAS NOT ON APCH CTL FREQ, BUT DID OBSERVE AN AIRLINER HDG TOWARD LAMBERT FIELD. PLT WOULD ESTIMATE THE ACFT TO BE 1500' HIGHER, SO NO COURSE ALTERATION WAS MADE. AFTER CONTACTING ALN TWR, PLT WAS ASKED TO CONTACT STL APCH CTL BY PHONE AFTER LNDG. PLT WAS INFORMED THAT AN ACR Y PLT CHOSE TO DECLARE A MISSED APCH. PLT AGREES THAT THE AIRLINE PLT MADE A PROPER DECISION IF HE THOUGHT IT NECESSARY FOR SAFETY. THE PLT IS A BEGINNING INS STUDENT AND THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW DISTR ALONG WITH MARGINAL VISIBILITY CAN DISORIENT A PLT. IT IS A LESSON THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED. TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND PREVENT A RECURRENCE, THE PLT WILL CONTINUE INSTRUCTION AND PROVIDE A LARGER BUFFER ZONE AROUND RESTR AIRSPACE AT ALL TIMES.

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.