Small aircraft aircraft becomes lost and lands at ohio state.

Attributes
ACN	339941
Time
Date	199606
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : osu
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : osu artcc : czeg
Operator	general aviation : instructional
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 instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 49 flight time type : 49
ASRS Report	339941
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During student cross country became disoriented after missing one chkpoint. Proceeded in destination general direction. Came upon airport which I thought was destination (marion). Tried to radio with no response. Entered flight pattern and landed thinking that it was the correct airport, and perhaps the aircraft's radios were temporarily inoperative or airport's radios inoperative or different frequency. Being a student pilot, I made the decision simply because the airport was so similar in nature, and the map showed no airport of that type within the general area. After analyzing the problem, there are a number of things that could have been done in the situation. Possible alternatives: 1) climb high and stay in general area. Look for most apparent landmark to get a fix. 2) call flight watch. 3) call closest approach (in this case, columbus) to get a radar fix and they'll give heading. 4) use instruments to get a fix from crossing vors, using a single VOR or fixing on a nearby NDB. 5) if all else fails, could call emergency frequency to get location.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT BECOMES LOST AND LANDS AT OHIO STATE.

Narrative: DURING STUDENT XCOUNTRY BECAME DISORIENTED AFTER MISSING ONE CHKPOINT. PROCEEDED IN DEST GENERAL DIRECTION. CAME UPON ARPT WHICH I THOUGHT WAS DEST (MARION). TRIED TO RADIO WITH NO RESPONSE. ENTERED FLT PATTERN AND LANDED THINKING THAT IT WAS THE CORRECT ARPT, AND PERHAPS THE ACFT'S RADIOS WERE TEMPORARILY INOP OR ARPT'S RADIOS INOP OR DIFFERENT FREQ. BEING A STUDENT PLT, I MADE THE DECISION SIMPLY BECAUSE THE ARPT WAS SO SIMILAR IN NATURE, AND THE MAP SHOWED NO ARPT OF THAT TYPE WITHIN THE GENERAL AREA. AFTER ANALYZING THE PROB, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE SIT. POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES: 1) CLB HIGH AND STAY IN GENERAL AREA. LOOK FOR MOST APPARENT LANDMARK TO GET A FIX. 2) CALL FLT WATCH. 3) CALL CLOSEST APCH (IN THIS CASE, COLUMBUS) TO GET A RADAR FIX AND THEY'LL GIVE HDG. 4) USE INSTS TO GET A FIX FROM XING VORS, USING A SINGLE VOR OR FIXING ON A NEARBY NDB. 5) IF ALL ELSE FAILS, COULD CALL EMER FREQ TO GET LOCATION.

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.