While on a ferry flight, the pilot became confused about the aircraft's position. The pilot was unab...

Attributes
ACN	324786
Time
Date	199512
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btr
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : btr tracon : lft
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	324786
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Left dwh for a ferry flight to X05. Planned to remain overnight in btr since I was on a VFR day only ferry permit. Was unfamiliar with aircraft and radios. As dusk settled in, I started losing ground references and did not know how to work VOR radio, therefore, I didn't know my exact position. As I came upon a town with an airport located on the north to northwest, I looked at the east and west runways and looked at the sectional, and thought I was over btr. Having thought I just violated their airspace, I immediately turned 180 degrees to depart the area. I contacted btr ATC after I was 5-10 mi from the airport. No one answered me, and I couldn't hear them. Another aircraft relayed for me and btr. It eventually came to me (10 mins or so) that this was not btr. At the same time, I was told to contact lafayette approach, they gave me my position and vectors to btr. Did I ever feel foolish. I have learned never to take an aircraft unless I have become completely familiar with all system! I did the proper procedure by contacting approach, except I wasn't where I thought or said I was. Rest of the trip was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON A FERRY FLT, THE PLT BECAME CONFUSED ABOUT THE ACFT'S POS. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO WORK THE NAV RADIO AND LOST IDENTIFIABLE GND REFS AS IT BECAME DUSK. RADIO CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH A RELAY AND THE PLT RECEIVED VECTORS FROM APCH CTL TO THE DEST.

Narrative: LEFT DWH FOR A FERRY FLT TO X05. PLANNED TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT IN BTR SINCE I WAS ON A VFR DAY ONLY FERRY PERMIT. WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH ACFT AND RADIOS. AS DUSK SETTLED IN, I STARTED LOSING GND REFS AND DID NOT KNOW HOW TO WORK VOR RADIO, THEREFORE, I DIDN'T KNOW MY EXACT POS. AS I CAME UPON A TOWN WITH AN ARPT LOCATED ON THE N TO NW, I LOOKED AT THE E AND W RWYS AND LOOKED AT THE SECTIONAL, AND THOUGHT I WAS OVER BTR. HAVING THOUGHT I JUST VIOLATED THEIR AIRSPACE, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED 180 DEGS TO DEPART THE AREA. I CONTACTED BTR ATC AFTER I WAS 5-10 MI FROM THE ARPT. NO ONE ANSWERED ME, AND I COULDN'T HEAR THEM. ANOTHER ACFT RELAYED FOR ME AND BTR. IT EVENTUALLY CAME TO ME (10 MINS OR SO) THAT THIS WAS NOT BTR. AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT LAFAYETTE APCH, THEY GAVE ME MY POS AND VECTORS TO BTR. DID I EVER FEEL FOOLISH. I HAVE LEARNED NEVER TO TAKE AN ACFT UNLESS I HAVE BECOME COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH ALL SYS! I DID THE PROPER PROC BY CONTACTING APCH, EXCEPT I WASN'T WHERE I THOUGHT OR SAID I WAS. REST OF THE TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.