Low time private pilot became disoriented in position and landed at an airport. After identing where...

Attributes
ACN	339800
Time
Date	199606
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 12n
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 140
ASRS Report	339800
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I left granville, ny, (BO1) at around XA30 am (XF30 UTC). I opened my flight plan about 4 mins after departure from BO1. Flight was from BO1 to fwn. Time of flight was estimated at 1 hour 30 mins. Flight was going well until I left kingston area headed to sussex county. I realized after looking at my sectional chart I was on the wrong side of some mtn ridges. I had entered the wrong identifier on my GPS. I entered fwn, and should have entered kfwn. Now I have been flying off course for about 15 mins. At this point, I come up with a heading toward hobelt (10N) so to land there and reorganize before continuing on my trip. I arrived to where I thought was hobelt (10N), but was actually stewart. I landed and departed stewart, and in the transaction of all this I forgot to close my flight plan, until I landed at andover (12N). At this time I called nj FSS and told them I had trouble, and would he close my flight plan. He asked if everything was all right. I said at this time yes, but I am worried about closing my flight plan. Nj FSS said that he would take care of it. I don't know even now how late I was closing the flight plan, but estimate from 30 mins to 1 hour. I have for in the future set up a checklist for start/ending of flight. I can with confidence promise you and myself that this will not happen again. I feel very lucky that nothing any worse happened than what did, and have learned a very valuable lesson. I apologize to all concerned for my lack of experience. Again I have learned a very valuable lesson, and understand that I am very lucky nothing worse happened than what did. I hope I have your consideration in this unfortunate mishap.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PVT PLT BECAME DISORIENTED IN POS AND LANDED AT AN ARPT. AFTER IDENTING WHERE HE WAS AND DEPARTING TO HIS DEST ARPT HE REALIZED HE HAD NOT CLOSED OUT HIS FLT PLAN, SO AFTER LNDG CONTACTED THE LCL FSS AND REQUESTED A FLT PLAN CLOSE.

Narrative: I LEFT GRANVILLE, NY, (BO1) AT AROUND XA30 AM (XF30 UTC). I OPENED MY FLT PLAN ABOUT 4 MINS AFTER DEP FROM BO1. FLT WAS FROM BO1 TO FWN. TIME OF FLT WAS ESTIMATED AT 1 HR 30 MINS. FLT WAS GOING WELL UNTIL I LEFT KINGSTON AREA HEADED TO SUSSEX COUNTY. I REALIZED AFTER LOOKING AT MY SECTIONAL CHART I WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF SOME MTN RIDGES. I HAD ENTERED THE WRONG IDENTIFIER ON MY GPS. I ENTERED FWN, AND SHOULD HAVE ENTERED KFWN. NOW I HAVE BEEN FLYING OFF COURSE FOR ABOUT 15 MINS. AT THIS POINT, I COME UP WITH A HDG TOWARD HOBELT (10N) SO TO LAND THERE AND REORGANIZE BEFORE CONTINUING ON MY TRIP. I ARRIVED TO WHERE I THOUGHT WAS HOBELT (10N), BUT WAS ACTUALLY STEWART. I LANDED AND DEPARTED STEWART, AND IN THE TRANSACTION OF ALL THIS I FORGOT TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN, UNTIL I LANDED AT ANDOVER (12N). AT THIS TIME I CALLED NJ FSS AND TOLD THEM I HAD TROUBLE, AND WOULD HE CLOSE MY FLT PLAN. HE ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT. I SAID AT THIS TIME YES, BUT I AM WORRIED ABOUT CLOSING MY FLT PLAN. NJ FSS SAID THAT HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. I DON'T KNOW EVEN NOW HOW LATE I WAS CLOSING THE FLT PLAN, BUT ESTIMATE FROM 30 MINS TO 1 HR. I HAVE FOR IN THE FUTURE SET UP A CHKLIST FOR START/ENDING OF FLT. I CAN WITH CONFIDENCE PROMISE YOU AND MYSELF THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT NOTHING ANY WORSE HAPPENED THAN WHAT DID, AND HAVE LEARNED A VERY VALUABLE LESSON. I APOLOGIZE TO ALL CONCERNED FOR MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE. AGAIN I HAVE LEARNED A VERY VALUABLE LESSON, AND UNDERSTAND THAT I AM VERY LUCKY NOTHING WORSE HAPPENED THAN WHAT DID. I HOPE I HAVE YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS UNFORTUNATE MISHAP.

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.

Low time private pilot became disoriented in position and landed at an airport. After identing where he was and departing to his destination airport he realized he had not closed out his flight plan, so after landing contacted the local FSS and requested a flight plan close.