Flight assist after CFI becomes lost.

Attributes
ACN	204651
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aoo
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	204651
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Became lost near small airport south of altoona VORTAC. Asked for assistance from altoona FSS on 121.5. Received position report - confirmed location. Unable to locate airport. Asked for IFR clearance to altoona, where WX was VFR. Flying in unknown area, approaching darkness, not ready or expecting to have to file and go IFR. Had VFR charts, but not IFR charts. Couldn't reach FSS on simplex frequency published. Used 121.5. At debrief FSS supervisor said I did the correct thing by asking for assistance early.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ASSIST AFTER CFI BECOMES LOST.

Narrative: BECAME LOST NEAR SMALL ARPT S OF ALTOONA VORTAC. ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE FROM ALTOONA FSS ON 121.5. RECEIVED POS RPT - CONFIRMED LOCATION. UNABLE TO LOCATE ARPT. ASKED FOR IFR CLRNC TO ALTOONA, WHERE WX WAS VFR. FLYING IN UNKNOWN AREA, APCHING DARKNESS, NOT READY OR EXPECTING TO HAVE TO FILE AND GO IFR. HAD VFR CHARTS, BUT NOT IFR CHARTS. COULDN'T REACH FSS ON SIMPLEX FREQ PUBLISHED. USED 121.5. AT DEBRIEF FSS SUPVR SAID I DID THE CORRECT THING BY ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE EARLY.

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.