Narrative:

The problem arose by not having enough time to complete my flight to be back at my home base for the next trainee scheduled to rent the aircraft I had. Contributing factors were insufficient time for completion of entire 'long' cross country training flight, lack of telephone call to FBO to inform them of my ETA. Incursion into restr area 6602 is considered since, after departing mecklenburg/brunswick airport (5w2) I had intended to follow interstate route 85 by pilotage until I could pick up the 181 degree radial from flatrock VORTAC and turn north. I believe I may have mistaken interstate route 58 which disoriented me as to my exact location. I was flying east, which was the direction I wanted but the wind that day was 350/16 KTS and it was blowing me off course to the southeast. I was able to tune in the flatrock VORTAC, identing it, and fly towards the station with the obs set at 001 degrees with a 'to' indication. The needle kept indicating that the radial was to my right about 4 degrees so I continued to add more wind correction into my heading. When I got close to what I believe was the tower located at 37 degrees, 3 mins north, 77 degrees, 49 mins west, I flew approximately 1/2 mi to the left of the tower. I was not exactly sure of my location since my original desire to follow interstate route 85 was not taken when I turned east after takeoff from meckingburg and followed interstate 58 instead. After passing the tower I continued north with my increased wind correction angle already established until the navigation needle was centered. I should have allowed more time for this entire flight given the fact that I am a student pilot. I will double my anticipated time required for planning purposes for future flts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ON SOLO XCOUNTRY INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A RESTRICTED AREA WHILE PRACTICING NAV BY PILOTAGE.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE BY NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLETE MY FLT TO BE BACK AT MY HOME BASE FOR THE NEXT TRAINEE SCHEDULED TO RENT THE ACFT I HAD. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR COMPLETION OF ENTIRE 'LONG' XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT, LACK OF TELEPHONE CALL TO FBO TO INFORM THEM OF MY ETA. INCURSION INTO RESTR AREA 6602 IS CONSIDERED SINCE, AFTER DEPARTING MECKLENBURG/BRUNSWICK ARPT (5W2) I HAD INTENDED TO FOLLOW INTERSTATE RTE 85 BY PILOTAGE UNTIL I COULD PICK UP THE 181 DEG RADIAL FROM FLATROCK VORTAC AND TURN N. I BELIEVE I MAY HAVE MISTAKEN INTERSTATE RTE 58 WHICH DISORIENTED ME AS TO MY EXACT LOCATION. I WAS FLYING E, WHICH WAS THE DIRECTION I WANTED BUT THE WIND THAT DAY WAS 350/16 KTS AND IT WAS BLOWING ME OFF COURSE TO THE SE. I WAS ABLE TO TUNE IN THE FLATROCK VORTAC, IDENTING IT, AND FLY TOWARDS THE STATION WITH THE OBS SET AT 001 DEGS WITH A 'TO' INDICATION. THE NEEDLE KEPT INDICATING THAT THE RADIAL WAS TO MY R ABOUT 4 DEGS SO I CONTINUED TO ADD MORE WIND CORRECTION INTO MY HDG. WHEN I GOT CLOSE TO WHAT I BELIEVE WAS THE TWR LOCATED AT 37 DEGS, 3 MINS N, 77 DEGS, 49 MINS W, I FLEW APPROX 1/2 MI TO THE L OF THE TWR. I WAS NOT EXACTLY SURE OF MY LOCATION SINCE MY ORIGINAL DESIRE TO FOLLOW INTERSTATE RTE 85 WAS NOT TAKEN WHEN I TURNED E AFTER TKOF FROM MECKINGBURG AND FOLLOWED INTERSTATE 58 INSTEAD. AFTER PASSING THE TWR I CONTINUED N WITH MY INCREASED WIND CORRECTION ANGLE ALREADY ESTABLISHED UNTIL THE NAV NEEDLE WAS CTRED. I SHOULD HAVE ALLOWED MORE TIME FOR THIS ENTIRE FLT GIVEN THE FACT THAT I AM A STUDENT PLT. I WILL DOUBLE MY ANTICIPATED TIME REQUIRED FOR PLANNING PURPOSES FOR FUTURE FLTS.

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.