A student pilot became lost on his first solo cross country flight. When he could not locate the destination he held his heading. When fuel became a critical factor he landed at an unknown airport. The airport was in class D airspace. Unauthorized landing. Wrong airport landing.

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Attributes
ACN	330011
Time
Date	199603
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stj
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stj
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 52 flight time type : 52
ASRS Report	330011
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was doing my first solo cross country. The first leg of my trip from 9k4 to cou was uneventful. During my second leg of my trip the WX started to deteriorate, visibility started to drop and I became unable to locate one of my chkpoints. At this time I tried to use my VOR, however, it was not operating. I stayed on my original heading for awhile thinking I was heading towards mhl. The ceiling prevented me from climbing to get a better view. I was unable to find my position. Eventually, I came upon an airport and low on fuel I landed without being able to determine what airport I was at. It turned out that it was stj and it was a class D airport and I had not contacted the tower previously before landing. I closed my flight plan from stj and told them I was at 9k4 because I thought it would be the easiest thing to do. After refueling, I contacted tower and got cleared for departure and flew uneventfully back to 9k4. I now realize that my mistake was not that I got lost but I should of confessed, DF steer, or contacted center.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT PLT BECAME LOST ON HIS FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. WHEN HE COULD NOT LOCATE THE DEST HE HELD HIS HDG. WHEN FUEL BECAME A CRITICAL FACTOR HE LANDED AT AN UNKNOWN ARPT. THE ARPT WAS IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. UNAUTH LNDG. WRONG ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS DOING MY FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY. THE FIRST LEG OF MY TRIP FROM 9K4 TO COU WAS UNEVENTFUL. DURING MY SECOND LEG OF MY TRIP THE WX STARTED TO DETERIORATE, VISIBILITY STARTED TO DROP AND I BECAME UNABLE TO LOCATE ONE OF MY CHKPOINTS. AT THIS TIME I TRIED TO USE MY VOR, HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT OPERATING. I STAYED ON MY ORIGINAL HDG FOR AWHILE THINKING I WAS HEADING TOWARDS MHL. THE CEILING PREVENTED ME FROM CLBING TO GET A BETTER VIEW. I WAS UNABLE TO FIND MY POS. EVENTUALLY, I CAME UPON AN ARPT AND LOW ON FUEL I LANDED WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT ARPT I WAS AT. IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS STJ AND IT WAS A CLASS D ARPT AND I HAD NOT CONTACTED THE TWR PREVIOUSLY BEFORE LNDG. I CLOSED MY FLT PLAN FROM STJ AND TOLD THEM I WAS AT 9K4 BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE EASIEST THING TO DO. AFTER REFUELING, I CONTACTED TWR AND GOT CLRED FOR DEP AND FLEW UNEVENTFULLY BACK TO 9K4. I NOW REALIZE THAT MY MISTAKE WAS NOT THAT I GOT LOST BUT I SHOULD OF CONFESSED, DF STEER, OR CONTACTED CTR.

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.