Narrative:

Purpose of flight was to photograph industrial areas in chicago and east chicago/gary, and secondarily to familiarize myself and wife (observer/photographer) with south suburban landmarks. We are planning several trips to south and I do most of my flying west and north out of dupage county airport. Well, it turned out I really did need to get more familiar with south suburban landmarks. Coming back from indiana, I tracked the 270 degree to radial of cgt and jot VOR, while visually following the interstate 80 until about halfway between cgt and jot. I tuned and idented dpa VOR and turned northwest heading about 300 degree. I call dpa tower about the time I crossed interstate 55, about 15 min out. 10 min later I did not see the airport or much in the way of familiar landmarks, and it is getting rather dark. I am experienced in night flying and had extensive night navigation work during my refresher/flight review last summer (may 1991). 10-15 mins after my first call up dpa calls where are you. About this time I realize I am 'way' north of the airport. I explain my problem and they offer me a transponder code and radar service. I also attempt to start tracking the dpa VOR (which I should have from the beginning). I spot campbell airport about this time. I turn about and head southwest dupage calls back to verify the transponder code said identify. I may have incorrectly entered the code the first time. I spot an airport beacon and descend from 2500 ft MSL to 1800 ft. This is a good time because it is not dpa, it's 06C and it is under the 1900 ft portion of the TCA. At this time both dpa tower and I are sure of my position and they suggest a heading. And at this point I think I have not transgressed on the TCA, but I am not sure. When I do see the airport I am still not absolutely sure I have the correct airport until they turn on strobes. On short final there is a strong wind from the south and I realize that it was a major factor in my getting off course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA BECAME LOST WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO HIS ARPT OF DEP.

Narrative: PURPOSE OF FLT WAS TO PHOTOGRAPH INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN CHICAGO AND E CHICAGO/GARY, AND SECONDARILY TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF AND WIFE (OBSERVER/PHOTOGRAPHER) WITH S SUBURBAN LANDMARKS. WE ARE PLANNING SEVERAL TRIPS TO S AND I DO MOST OF MY FLYING W AND N OUT OF DUPAGE COUNTY ARPT. WELL, IT TURNED OUT I REALLY DID NEED TO GET MORE FAMILIAR WITH S SUBURBAN LANDMARKS. COMING BACK FROM INDIANA, I TRACKED THE 270 DEG TO RADIAL OF CGT AND JOT VOR, WHILE VISUALLY FOLLOWING THE INTERSTATE 80 UNTIL ABOUT HALFWAY BTWN CGT AND JOT. I TUNED AND IDENTED DPA VOR AND TURNED NW HDG ABOUT 300 DEG. I CALL DPA TWR ABOUT THE TIME I CROSSED INTERSTATE 55, ABOUT 15 MIN OUT. 10 MIN LATER I DID NOT SEE THE ARPT OR MUCH IN THE WAY OF FAMILIAR LANDMARKS, AND IT IS GETTING RATHER DARK. I AM EXPERIENCED IN NIGHT FLYING AND HAD EXTENSIVE NIGHT NAV WORK DURING MY REFRESHER/FLT REVIEW LAST SUMMER (MAY 1991). 10-15 MINS AFTER MY FIRST CALL UP DPA CALLS WHERE ARE YOU. ABOUT THIS TIME I REALIZE I AM 'WAY' N OF THE ARPT. I EXPLAIN MY PROBLEM AND THEY OFFER ME A TRANSPONDER CODE AND RADAR SVC. I ALSO ATTEMPT TO START TRACKING THE DPA VOR (WHICH I SHOULD HAVE FROM THE BEGINNING). I SPOT CAMPBELL ARPT ABOUT THIS TIME. I TURN ABOUT AND HEAD SW DUPAGE CALLS BACK TO VERIFY THE TRANSPONDER CODE SAID IDENT. I MAY HAVE INCORRECTLY ENTERED THE CODE THE FIRST TIME. I SPOT AN ARPT BEACON AND DSND FROM 2500 FT MSL TO 1800 FT. THIS IS A GOOD TIME BECAUSE IT IS NOT DPA, IT'S 06C AND IT IS UNDER THE 1900 FT PORTION OF THE TCA. AT THIS TIME BOTH DPA TWR AND I ARE SURE OF MY POS AND THEY SUGGEST A HDG. AND AT THIS POINT I THINK I HAVE NOT TRANSGRESSED ON THE TCA, BUT I AM NOT SURE. WHEN I DO SEE THE ARPT I AM STILL NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE I HAVE THE CORRECT ARPT UNTIL THEY TURN ON STROBES. ON SHORT FINAL THERE IS A STRONG WIND FROM THE S AND I REALIZE THAT IT WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN MY GETTING OFF COURSE.

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.