Pilot became disoriented after traffic control vectors in class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	295010
Time
Date	199501
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	295010
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left sna on an initial heading of 330 degree intending to go north to the 91 freeway and then follow it east to the prado dam, then turn north and land at chino, cal before I reached the 91 freeway, departure control gave me a number of turns which left me somewhat disoriented as to location. When I was told to 'resume own navigation' I started to follow what I thought was the 91 freeway. Actually it was the wrong freeway. The departure controller saw me going the wrong way and turned me back on course. There was no airspace violation or conflict with other aircraft. Remedy: study short more carefully and correlate surface detail to what appears on chart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT BECAME DISORIENTED AFTER TFC CTL VECTORS IN CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I LEFT SNA ON AN INITIAL HDG OF 330 DEG INTENDING TO GO N TO THE 91 FREEWAY AND THEN FOLLOW IT E TO THE PRADO DAM, THEN TURN N AND LAND AT CHINO, CAL BEFORE I REACHED THE 91 FREEWAY, DEP CTL GAVE ME A NUMBER OF TURNS WHICH LEFT ME SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED AS TO LOCATION. WHEN I WAS TOLD TO 'RESUME OWN NAV' I STARTED TO FOLLOW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE 91 FREEWAY. ACTUALLY IT WAS THE WRONG FREEWAY. THE DEP CTLR SAW ME GOING THE WRONG WAY AND TURNED ME BACK ON COURSE. THERE WAS NO AIRSPACE VIOLATION OR CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. REMEDY: STUDY SHORT MORE CAREFULLY AND CORRELATE SURFACE DETAIL TO WHAT APPEARS ON CHART.

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.