A C172 pilot on a long cross country flies at the wrong altitude for the direction of flight.

Attributes
ACN	525900
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zme.artcc
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : jan.tracon tracon : iad.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 117 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	525900
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Pilot made a 3 legged cross country. On the last leg home the pilot cruised at 4500 ft. This was while flying on an easterly heading. The pilot was receiving flight following the whole time from ZME and jackson approach. Nether controlling agency commented on the improper altitude. The pilot realized his error once at home. The pilot attributes this error to fatigue and inexperience on such a lengthy cross country.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT ON A LONG XCOUNTRY FLIES AT THE WRONG ALT FOR THE DIRECTION OF FLT.

Narrative: PLT MADE A 3 LEGGED XCOUNTRY. ON THE LAST LEG HOME THE PLT CRUISED AT 4500 FT. THIS WAS WHILE FLYING ON AN EASTERLY HDG. THE PLT WAS RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING THE WHOLE TIME FROM ZME AND JACKSON APCH. NETHER CONTROLLING AGENCY COMMENTED ON THE IMPROPER ALT. THE PLT REALIZED HIS ERROR ONCE AT HOME. THE PLT ATTRIBUTES THIS ERROR TO FATIGUE AND INEXPERIENCE ON SUCH A LENGTHY XCOUNTRY.

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.