Narrative:

At approximately XA00 hours or so, I took off from chino en route to riverside and then bakersfield. 3 hours required for my solo time. I believe I requested a departure from runway 26L for a left traffic to riverside and then on to bakersfield. ATC gave me runway 26R with right traffic. Upon reaching pattern altitude, I was trying to adjust the radios to the proper frequencys and became 'lost' as to ral. I didn't want to call and request help, I thought I would see it soon. Even though it may've only been 10 mins or so, it seemed like 30 mins. I became more stressed and called ral for help. I was approximately 4 mi north of ral in ontario's airspace (class C). I did one touch-and-go at ral then proceeded onto bakersfield. I was not able to dial in van nuys tracking on my radio or socal (125.5). I had my direction indicator set to 278 degrees/V186, but the needle was not ctring as I could not dial in van nuys VOR (113.1). I became increasingly panicked not feeling as though I had full control, so I turned around and headed back toward chino approach. I was not able to communicate with socal, the only thing I could do was inform chino of my return flight. I believe I should've checked all frequencys needed before taxiing to the run-up area. I would've liked a little more time with the instructor prior to making the flight. Maybe practice that flight with the instructor in the plane. My instructor had/has full faith in my ability to make this solo, the problem lies in the radio controls or possibly my understanding of them. He is an excellent instructor and I believe that with further training, she will produce in me one of the best and most safety conscious pilots in the air today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT GETS LOST AT THE BEGINNING OF A SOLO XCOUNTRY AND ASK FOR HELP FROM ATC WHERE THEY FIND HIM 5 MI FROM HIS HOME BASE IN NEAR BY CLASS C AIRSPACE. AFTER BEING ASSISTED TO ANOTHER NEARBY ARPT, OF WHICH HE HAD FLT PLANNED, HE CONTINUED ON TOWARD HIS SECOND STOP WHERE HE WAS UNABLE TO TUNE IN AN ENRTE VOR, OR COMMUNICATE WITH THE AREA TRACON. HE THEN RETURNED TO HOME BASE WITHOUT COMPLETING HIS PLANNED XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 HRS OR SO, I TOOK OFF FROM CHINO ENRTE TO RIVERSIDE AND THEN BAKERSFIELD. 3 HRS REQUIRED FOR MY SOLO TIME. I BELIEVE I REQUESTED A DEP FROM RWY 26L FOR A L TFC TO RIVERSIDE AND THEN ON TO BAKERSFIELD. ATC GAVE ME RWY 26R WITH R TFC. UPON REACHING PATTERN ALT, I WAS TRYING TO ADJUST THE RADIOS TO THE PROPER FREQS AND BECAME 'LOST' AS TO RAL. I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL AND REQUEST HELP, I THOUGHT I WOULD SEE IT SOON. EVEN THOUGH IT MAY'VE ONLY BEEN 10 MINS OR SO, IT SEEMED LIKE 30 MINS. I BECAME MORE STRESSED AND CALLED RAL FOR HELP. I WAS APPROX 4 MI N OF RAL IN ONTARIO'S AIRSPACE (CLASS C). I DID ONE TOUCH-AND-GO AT RAL THEN PROCEEDED ONTO BAKERSFIELD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAL IN VAN NUYS TRACKING ON MY RADIO OR SOCAL (125.5). I HAD MY DIRECTION INDICATOR SET TO 278 DEGS/V186, BUT THE NEEDLE WAS NOT CTRING AS I COULD NOT DIAL IN VAN NUYS VOR (113.1). I BECAME INCREASINGLY PANICKED NOT FEELING AS THOUGH I HAD FULL CTL, SO I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK TOWARD CHINO APCH. I WAS NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH SOCAL, THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS INFORM CHINO OF MY RETURN FLT. I BELIEVE I SHOULD'VE CHKED ALL FREQS NEEDED BEFORE TAXIING TO THE RUN-UP AREA. I WOULD'VE LIKED A LITTLE MORE TIME WITH THE INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO MAKING THE FLT. MAYBE PRACTICE THAT FLT WITH THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE PLANE. MY INSTRUCTOR HAD/HAS FULL FAITH IN MY ABILITY TO MAKE THIS SOLO, THE PROB LIES IN THE RADIO CTLS OR POSSIBLY MY UNDERSTANDING OF THEM. HE IS AN EXCELLENT INSTRUCTOR AND I BELIEVE THAT WITH FURTHER TRAINING, SHE WILL PRODUCE IN ME ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST SAFETY CONSCIOUS PLTS IN THE AIR TODAY.

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.