A foreign born small aircraft pilot here for training got lost on a cross country and penetrated a T...

Attributes
ACN	209846
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem airport : olv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem tower : mem
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 140 flight time type : 31
ASRS Report	209846
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The problem arose due to the aircraft being drifted towards the area while on my way to jonesboro. I discovered it when I noticed that the runway directions of jonesboro were different from the one of memphis international. It occurred because I was relying too much on radio navigation instead of looking, at the same time for landmarks. Wind was also a contributing factor in someway. Once I realized that I was lost, I told jonesboro radio about it and I squawked what they told me (XXXX). I tried to tune into the jonesboro VOR but it could not be picked up. I looked at the traffic pattern and active runway in an airfield that was near memphis international and that was olive-branch. I then entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg and I started switching on and off my landing lights when I was on final since I did not know which airport it was and it's frequency. I did not know that I was in memphis until I got to the ground at olive branch since I am a foreign student from kenya and am here for my commercial/instrument and multi-engine training. From my experience, I think that pilot's flying in VMC should rely more on charts and major landmarks then on using VOR. Since on my way back from jonesboro to springdale I had no problems as I was using major landmarks and at the same time using VOR radials to positively identify them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOREIGN BORN SMA PLT HERE FOR TRAINING GOT LOST ON A XCOUNTRY AND PENETRATED A TCA INADVERTENTLY. THERE WERE NO KNOWN CONFLICTS. HE PROPERLY ADMITTED TO HIMSELF AND ATC THAT HE WAS LOST.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE DUE TO THE ACFT BEING DRIFTED TOWARDS THE AREA WHILE ON MY WAY TO JONESBORO. I DISCOVERED IT WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE RWY DIRECTIONS OF JONESBORO WERE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE OF MEMPHIS INTL. IT OCCURRED BECAUSE I WAS RELYING TOO MUCH ON RADIO NAV INSTEAD OF LOOKING, AT THE SAME TIME FOR LANDMARKS. WIND WAS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN SOMEWAY. ONCE I REALIZED THAT I WAS LOST, I TOLD JONESBORO RADIO ABOUT IT AND I SQUAWKED WHAT THEY TOLD ME (XXXX). I TRIED TO TUNE INTO THE JONESBORO VOR BUT IT COULD NOT BE PICKED UP. I LOOKED AT THE TFC PATTERN AND ACTIVE RWY IN AN AIRFIELD THAT WAS NEAR MEMPHIS INTL AND THAT WAS OLIVE-BRANCH. I THEN ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN ON THE DOWNWIND LEG AND I STARTED SWITCHING ON AND OFF MY LNDG LIGHTS WHEN I WAS ON FINAL SINCE I DID NOT KNOW WHICH ARPT IT WAS AND IT'S FREQ. I DID NOT KNOW THAT I WAS IN MEMPHIS UNTIL I GOT TO THE GND AT OLIVE BRANCH SINCE I AM A FOREIGN STUDENT FROM KENYA AND AM HERE FOR MY COMMERCIAL/INST AND MULTI-ENG TRAINING. FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I THINK THAT PLT'S FLYING IN VMC SHOULD RELY MORE ON CHARTS AND MAJOR LANDMARKS THEN ON USING VOR. SINCE ON MY WAY BACK FROM JONESBORO TO SPRINGDALE I HAD NO PROBLEMS AS I WAS USING MAJOR LANDMARKS AND AT THE SAME TIME USING VOR RADIALS TO POSITIVELY IDENT THEM.

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.

A foreign born small aircraft pilot here for training got lost on a cross country and penetrated a TCA inadvertently. There were no known conflicts. He properly admitted to himself and ATC that he was lost.