Narrative:

At XA45 am I departed I69 destination port clinton (pcw) for my first long solo cross country. It was an excellent trip, unrestricted visibility, all preplanned chkpoints checked out. Appleton VOR and DME checked-out as did sundusky VOR and DME. I landed at pcw, fueled, and called the office to check-in. I was told it was raining, but didn't look bad or that the rain would last long. I became worried and left immediately. Next stop med. This was another excellent trip. All communications handled properly, landing was good, then I taxied and departed for destination I69. I contacted columbus to be placed on radar for VFR conditions. Once leaving columbus radar I was on my own to I69. Over the horizon I saw dark clouds and my concerns about rain (IFR) increased. I became disoriented with my position so I tuned to yellowbud VOR and I discovered the DME did not work. The VOR indicated 330 degree with no DME. I did not know how far from yellowbud I was. It began to rain. I panicked, not flown or trained to fly in rain or adverse WX. My instruction has always been in case of such WX or even possibility of such to land immediately. I became more focused upon the rain and began to look for an airport. I spotted one to the right. The VOR indicated 290-300 degrees. I did not know what airport I was at, therefore, I had no communication to the traffic. I thought the safe thing to do is circle the airport then land. So I proceeded, I did not realize until I was on final that I was at a 'tower' airport. One of the runways were marked 'X.' once I had taxied to the terminal I discovered I was at springfield a controled airport at which I landed without clearance to do so. I am sorry please forgive me. To me this was an emergency situation and I knew not what else to do. I think corrective action is to contact dayton radar for VFR and to receive IFR training as soon as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ENCOUNTERS LOW VISIBILITY AND BECOMES LOST AND MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: AT XA45 AM I DEPARTED I69 DEST PORT CLINTON (PCW) FOR MY FIRST LONG SOLO XCOUNTRY. IT WAS AN EXCELLENT TRIP, UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY, ALL PREPLANNED CHKPOINTS CHKED OUT. APPLETON VOR AND DME CHKED-OUT AS DID SUNDUSKY VOR AND DME. I LANDED AT PCW, FUELED, AND CALLED THE OFFICE TO CHK-IN. I WAS TOLD IT WAS RAINING, BUT DIDN'T LOOK BAD OR THAT THE RAIN WOULD LAST LONG. I BECAME WORRIED AND LEFT IMMEDIATELY. NEXT STOP MED. THIS WAS ANOTHER EXCELLENT TRIP. ALL COMS HANDLED PROPERLY, LNDG WAS GOOD, THEN I TAXIED AND DEPARTED FOR DEST I69. I CONTACTED COLUMBUS TO BE PLACED ON RADAR FOR VFR CONDITIONS. ONCE LEAVING COLUMBUS RADAR I WAS ON MY OWN TO I69. OVER THE HORIZON I SAW DARK CLOUDS AND MY CONCERNS ABOUT RAIN (IFR) INCREASED. I BECAME DISORIENTED WITH MY POS SO I TUNED TO YELLOWBUD VOR AND I DISCOVERED THE DME DID NOT WORK. THE VOR INDICATED 330 DEG WITH NO DME. I DID NOT KNOW HOW FAR FROM YELLOWBUD I WAS. IT BEGAN TO RAIN. I PANICKED, NOT FLOWN OR TRAINED TO FLY IN RAIN OR ADVERSE WX. MY INSTRUCTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN CASE OF SUCH WX OR EVEN POSSIBILITY OF SUCH TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. I BECAME MORE FOCUSED UPON THE RAIN AND BEGAN TO LOOK FOR AN ARPT. I SPOTTED ONE TO THE R. THE VOR INDICATED 290-300 DEGS. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT ARPT I WAS AT, THEREFORE, I HAD NO COM TO THE TFC. I THOUGHT THE SAFE THING TO DO IS CIRCLE THE ARPT THEN LAND. SO I PROCEEDED, I DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL I WAS ON FINAL THAT I WAS AT A 'TWR' ARPT. ONE OF THE RWYS WERE MARKED 'X.' ONCE I HAD TAXIED TO THE TERMINAL I DISCOVERED I WAS AT SPRINGFIELD A CTLED ARPT AT WHICH I LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC TO DO SO. I AM SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME. TO ME THIS WAS AN EMER SIT AND I KNEW NOT WHAT ELSE TO DO. I THINK CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO CONTACT DAYTON RADAR FOR VFR AND TO RECEIVE IFR TRAINING ASAP.

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.