A disoriented student pilot may have entered phl's class 'B' airspace.

Attributes
ACN	304041
Time
Date	199505
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl airport : ilm
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl tower : ilm
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 53 flight time type : 53
ASRS Report	304041
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was trying to go to ilg but mistakenly went to phl. I was flying to phl and talking to ilg tower and that is how I found out I was in trouble because I violated the airspace without contacting phl to see if it was ok for me to enter the airspace. The violation was all my fault for not realizing where I was going, because I was using the VOR, but when phl came into sight, I made the mistake of assuming it was ilg. There are a number of things I have learned from this situation and they are: 1) study the map a little better and know exactly where I'm going instead of just flying around up there, 2) when using the VOR, always trust the instrument because that is what the VOR is for, to help you in time of need when you're flying VFR, 3) never assume an airport that you see in the distance is the right airport that you want to land at because if you start going to every airport you see, you will never get where you are going, 4) always get flight following when going on cross country trips because that will help you navigation from place to place and help you out when you need help or get disoriented. I have learned a great deal from this situation and I think it will make me a better pilot in the long run. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporting student pilot was on a round robin cross country from hgr. He had been to abe, then was on his way to ilg when he became disoriented. When he was talking to ilg and ilg was unable to see him in the pattern, ilg gave him phl's tower (or approach) frequency. Phl gave the reporter a vector to ilg and gave him a phone number to call. Phl was very understanding about the situation. They did not notify FSDO, but did notify the reporter's homebase FBO. The reporter has received further instruction in navigation and believes that he has learned a lot from this experience.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DISORIENTED STUDENT PLT MAY HAVE ENTERED PHL'S CLASS 'B' AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS TRYING TO GO TO ILG BUT MISTAKENLY WENT TO PHL. I WAS FLYING TO PHL AND TALKING TO ILG TWR AND THAT IS HOW I FOUND OUT I WAS IN TROUBLE BECAUSE I VIOLATED THE AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING PHL TO SEE IF IT WAS OK FOR ME TO ENTER THE AIRSPACE. THE VIOLATION WAS ALL MY FAULT FOR NOT REALIZING WHERE I WAS GOING, BECAUSE I WAS USING THE VOR, BUT WHEN PHL CAME INTO SIGHT, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING IT WAS ILG. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS SIT AND THEY ARE: 1) STUDY THE MAP A LITTLE BETTER AND KNOW EXACTLY WHERE I'M GOING INSTEAD OF JUST FLYING AROUND UP THERE, 2) WHEN USING THE VOR, ALWAYS TRUST THE INST BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE VOR IS FOR, TO HELP YOU IN TIME OF NEED WHEN YOU'RE FLYING VFR, 3) NEVER ASSUME AN ARPT THAT YOU SEE IN THE DISTANCE IS THE RIGHT ARPT THAT YOU WANT TO LAND AT BECAUSE IF YOU START GOING TO EVERY ARPT YOU SEE, YOU WILL NEVER GET WHERE YOU ARE GOING, 4) ALWAYS GET FLT FOLLOWING WHEN GOING ON XCOUNTRY TRIPS BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP YOU NAV FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND HELP YOU OUT WHEN YOU NEED HELP OR GET DISORIENTED. I HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM THIS SIT AND I THINK IT WILL MAKE ME A BETTER PLT IN THE LONG RUN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTING STUDENT PLT WAS ON A ROUND ROBIN XCOUNTRY FROM HGR. HE HAD BEEN TO ABE, THEN WAS ON HIS WAY TO ILG WHEN HE BECAME DISORIENTED. WHEN HE WAS TALKING TO ILG AND ILG WAS UNABLE TO SEE HIM IN THE PATTERN, ILG GAVE HIM PHL'S TWR (OR APCH) FREQ. PHL GAVE THE RPTR A VECTOR TO ILG AND GAVE HIM A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. PHL WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE SIT. THEY DID NOT NOTIFY FSDO, BUT DID NOTIFY THE RPTR'S HOMEBASE FBO. THE RPTR HAS RECEIVED FURTHER INSTRUCTION IN NAV AND BELIEVES THAT HE HAS LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.

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.