Pilot lost on cross country flight.

Attributes
ACN	284128
Time
Date	199409
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orl
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 65 flight time type : 64
ASRS Report	284128
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Then, I contacted orlando approach on 121.1 and the approach controller told me it was not a good idea to go to orlando since it was not VFR anymore. At the same time, the ceiling was getting lower, therefore in order to stay away from the clouds, I had to lose some altitude. Going back to craig did not seem possible because the visibility was considerably reduced and since I was about 10 mi from sanford (which was VFR) the controller advised me to divert to this airport which seemed to be the best and safest idea. However, in the process of diverting to sanford, the visibility was suddenly reduced by fog and I had to fly at 600 ft at that time, trying to stay clear of clouds. Then because of the low visibility, I became a little bit disoriented, and it became obvious that I had to land as soon as possible since I was not IFR certified. Therefore, I first called sanford tower which told me it could not really help me, so they told me to contact orlando approach, which I did. My altitude was now around 500 ft, though I gave my approximately position to the controller, it seemed like he could not identify me clearly on radar. At this point, the approach controller asked me to squawk 7700 on my transponder, which I did. I told him I was right over a highway and he told me to follow this highway towards the south. The visibility was now reduced to 2-3 mi because of the fog. A couple of mins later, with the help of the approach controller, I was able to see the airport (orlando executive). As I confirmed to the approach controller that I had the airport in sight, he told me to contact orlando tower, which I did, and I entered a right downwind for runway 25. The tower did not tell me to contact anybody when I would be on the ground, therefore, I waited a couple of hours at orlando for the WX to get better, and I went back to melbourne.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LOST ON XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: THEN, I CONTACTED ORLANDO APCH ON 121.1 AND THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME IT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO GO TO ORLANDO SINCE IT WAS NOT VFR ANYMORE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CEILING WAS GETTING LOWER, THEREFORE IN ORDER TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CLOUDS, I HAD TO LOSE SOME ALT. GOING BACK TO CRAIG DID NOT SEEM POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE VISIBILITY WAS CONSIDERABLY REDUCED AND SINCE I WAS ABOUT 10 MI FROM SANFORD (WHICH WAS VFR) THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO DIVERT TO THIS ARPT WHICH SEEMED TO BE THE BEST AND SAFEST IDEA. HOWEVER, IN THE PROCESS OF DIVERTING TO SANFORD, THE VISIBILITY WAS SUDDENLY REDUCED BY FOG AND I HAD TO FLY AT 600 FT AT THAT TIME, TRYING TO STAY CLR OF CLOUDS. THEN BECAUSE OF THE LOW VISIBILITY, I BECAME A LITTLE BIT DISORIENTED, AND IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT I HAD TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SINCE I WAS NOT IFR CERTIFIED. THEREFORE, I FIRST CALLED SANFORD TWR WHICH TOLD ME IT COULD NOT REALLY HELP ME, SO THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT ORLANDO APCH, WHICH I DID. MY ALT WAS NOW AROUND 500 FT, THOUGH I GAVE MY APPROX POS TO THE CTLR, IT SEEMED LIKE HE COULD NOT IDENT ME CLRLY ON RADAR. AT THIS POINT, THE APCH CTLR ASKED ME TO SQUAWK 7700 ON MY XPONDER, WHICH I DID. I TOLD HIM I WAS RIGHT OVER A HWY AND HE TOLD ME TO FOLLOW THIS HWY TOWARDS THE S. THE VISIBILITY WAS NOW REDUCED TO 2-3 MI BECAUSE OF THE FOG. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER, WITH THE HELP OF THE APCH CTLR, I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE ARPT (ORLANDO EXECUTIVE). AS I CONFIRMED TO THE APCH CTLR THAT I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT ORLANDO TWR, WHICH I DID, AND I ENTERED A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25. THE TWR DID NOT TELL ME TO CONTACT ANYBODY WHEN I WOULD BE ON THE GND, THEREFORE, I WAITED A COUPLE OF HRS AT ORLANDO FOR THE WX TO GET BETTER, AND I WENT BACK TO MELBOURNE.

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.