Narrative:

A student of mine who I had signed off for solo flight in an small aircraft, was practicing maneuvers south of arlington airport in the practice area. After a few 360 degree and 720 degree turns, he became lost and could not find his way back to arlington airport. He proceeded to fly toward the northeast, thinking he had drifted to the southwest. He flew around for about 2 hours and still couldn't find an airport. Finally he squawked 7700 and dialed in 121.5 and called for assistance. ZFW responded, giving him vectors to mcalester (okla) airport (mlc). He landed safely and then called me at home to say that he was ok. I told him to call the flight school immediately, as they were concerned about him and the aircraft. He called the flight school, and was told by a person who worked there, to fly the plane back to arlington airport. I myself, did not know that someone had told him to do this. I didn't find out till he was on his way back. He fueled the small aircraft and proceeded to fly back to arlington airport. It was dark by the time he arrived in the dfw area. He was unsure of his position, and probably penetrated air traffic area's at addison (ads), redbird (rbd) and the TCA at dfw, before he made a landing at arlington airport. This problem could have been avoided if the student had kept better track of his position, and not relied on the judgement of the flight school, giving him permission to fly cross country at night when he wasn't qualified or signed off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT SMA PLT BECAME DISORIENTED. HE GOT A FLT ASSIST AND LANDED 150 MI FROM HIS HOME BASE.

Narrative: A STUDENT OF MINE WHO I HAD SIGNED OFF FOR SOLO FLT IN AN SMA, WAS PRACTICING MANEUVERS S OF ARLINGTON ARPT IN THE PRACTICE AREA. AFTER A FEW 360 DEG AND 720 DEG TURNS, HE BECAME LOST AND COULD NOT FIND HIS WAY BACK TO ARLINGTON ARPT. HE PROCEEDED TO FLY TOWARD THE NE, THINKING HE HAD DRIFTED TO THE SW. HE FLEW AROUND FOR ABOUT 2 HRS AND STILL COULDN'T FIND AN ARPT. FINALLY HE SQUAWKED 7700 AND DIALED IN 121.5 AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. ZFW RESPONDED, GIVING HIM VECTORS TO MCALESTER (OKLA) ARPT (MLC). HE LANDED SAFELY AND THEN CALLED ME AT HOME TO SAY THAT HE WAS OK. I TOLD HIM TO CALL THE FLT SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY, AS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM AND THE ACFT. HE CALLED THE FLT SCHOOL, AND WAS TOLD BY A PERSON WHO WORKED THERE, TO FLY THE PLANE BACK TO ARLINGTON ARPT. I MYSELF, DID NOT KNOW THAT SOMEONE HAD TOLD HIM TO DO THIS. I DIDN'T FIND OUT TILL HE WAS ON HIS WAY BACK. HE FUELED THE SMA AND PROCEEDED TO FLY BACK TO ARLINGTON ARPT. IT WAS DARK BY THE TIME HE ARRIVED IN THE DFW AREA. HE WAS UNSURE OF HIS POS, AND PROBABLY PENETRATED ATA'S AT ADDISON (ADS), REDBIRD (RBD) AND THE TCA AT DFW, BEFORE HE MADE A LNDG AT ARLINGTON ARPT. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE STUDENT HAD KEPT BETTER TRACK OF HIS POS, AND NOT RELIED ON THE JUDGEMENT OF THE FLT SCHOOL, GIVING HIM PERMISSION TO FLY XCOUNTRY AT NIGHT WHEN HE WASN'T QUALIFIED OR SIGNED OFF.

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.