Narrative:

I had drawn a circle with an eight NM radius from the center of restr area ZZZ on my chart, to indicate the new boundaries of restr area ZZZ, as of 10/wed/01. I used my cell phone to file my flight plan and get a WX briefing prior to performing a preflight inspection. Since I had planned to fly at 4500 ft on my first leg from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2, I used winds 170 degrees at 15 knots to determine the course. The purpose of the flight was to fulfill my long solo cross country on 10/wed/01. I was starting at ZZZ1 going to ZZZ2. Then from ZZZ2 to ZZZ3. I was not going to land at ZZZ3. Then from ZZZ3 to ZZZ4. I planned to tune my NAV2 radio to ZZZ3 VOR, and use the 035 degree radial as my safety to stay clear of ZZZ. Then from ZZZ4 to ZZZ1. I departed ZZZ1 at XA00 am local time, for ZZZ2. I leveled off at 2500 ft to align my dg with my compass. I turned the LORAN on, and after it went through its searching function, I attempted to select the waypoint ZZZ2. I couldn't get the waypoint to come up, so I turned it off to try again. I climbed to 4500 ft and aligned my dg with my compass. I forgot to open my flight plan. My first checkpoint was a commercial plant that should have been off my right wing. In four mins the commercial plant was off my right wing. I aligned my dg with my compass. I turned the LORAN back on, I couldn't get the waypoint to come up, so I turned it off to try again. My second chkpoint was ZZZ3 airport. ZZZ3 should have been off my left wing. I put ZZZ3 off my left wing and aligned my dg with my compass. It was hazy and I could barely make out the mountains. Since I was not sure of my location, I decided to try the LORAN again. I turned the LORAN back on and selected the waypoint ZZZ2 and set it for navigation mode. I continued to fly my course and the LORAN gave bearing, but the distance was getting greater. I knew that heading could not be the bearing to ZZZ2. Since I wasn't sure of how to get to ZZZ2, and at this point I just wanted to be on the ground, I decided to follow the LORAN so that I could find my way back to ZZZ1. I descended to 3500 ft. I did not know where I was until I saw the commercial plant off my left wing. Then, I saw ZZZ5 and I changed course to head for ZZZ1. I called ZZZ1 unicom and told them that I was one mile to the east and would be entering downwind. Approximately 200 ft from touchdown, I saw a jet fighter off my right wing. At that point, I realized that I must have violated ZZZ restr airspace. The problem arose due to the fact that: I wanted the peace of mind of being directed by the LORAN, but I was not familiar enough with its operation. I could have taken corrective action as follows: at the point of reaching where my third chkpoint was supposed to be, I could have done a big circle to the left in order to try to find my chkpoint. I could have determined my position by tuning in two vors. I could have called FSS, told them that I was a student pilot on his long cross-country, that I was lost and that I wanted to get the bearing and distance to ZZZ2.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA STUDENT PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED PROHIBITED AIRSPACE DURING HIS LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLT WHEN HE BECAME LOST AND TURNED BACK TOWARD HIS HOME BASE. HE NOTED A MIL FIGHTER OFF OF HIS R WING JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.

Narrative: I HAD DRAWN A CIRCLE WITH AN EIGHT NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER OF RESTR AREA ZZZ ON MY CHART, TO INDICATE THE NEW BOUNDARIES OF RESTR AREA ZZZ, AS OF 10/WED/01. I USED MY CELL PHONE TO FILE MY FLT PLAN AND GET A WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO PERFORMING A PREFLT INSPECTION. SINCE I HAD PLANNED TO FLY AT 4500 FT ON MY FIRST LEG FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2, I USED WINDS 170 DEGS AT 15 KNOTS TO DETERMINE THE COURSE. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO FULFILL MY LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ON 10/WED/01. I WAS STARTING AT ZZZ1 GOING TO ZZZ2. THEN FROM ZZZ2 TO ZZZ3. I WAS NOT GOING TO LAND AT ZZZ3. THEN FROM ZZZ3 TO ZZZ4. I PLANNED TO TUNE MY NAV2 RADIO TO ZZZ3 VOR, AND USE THE 035 DEG RADIAL AS MY SAFETY TO STAY CLR OF ZZZ. THEN FROM ZZZ4 TO ZZZ1. I DEPARTED ZZZ1 AT XA00 AM LOCAL TIME, FOR ZZZ2. I LEVELED OFF AT 2500 FT TO ALIGN MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I TURNED THE LORAN ON, AND AFTER IT WENT THROUGH ITS SEARCHING FUNCTION, I ATTEMPTED TO SELECT THE WAYPOINT ZZZ2. I COULDN'T GET THE WAYPOINT TO COME UP, SO I TURNED IT OFF TO TRY AGAIN. I CLIMBED TO 4500 FT AND ALIGNED MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I FORGOT TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN. MY FIRST CHECKPOINT WAS A COMMERCIAL PLANT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF MY R WING. IN FOUR MINS THE COMMERCIAL PLANT WAS OFF MY R WING. I ALIGNED MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I TURNED THE LORAN BACK ON, I COULDN'T GET THE WAYPOINT TO COME UP, SO I TURNED IT OFF TO TRY AGAIN. MY SECOND CHKPOINT WAS ZZZ3 ARPT. ZZZ3 SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF MY L WING. I PUT ZZZ3 OFF MY L WING AND ALIGNED MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. IT WAS HAZY AND I COULD BARELY MAKE OUT THE MOUNTAINS. SINCE I WAS NOT SURE OF MY LOCATION, I DECIDED TO TRY THE LORAN AGAIN. I TURNED THE LORAN BACK ON AND SELECTED THE WAYPOINT ZZZ2 AND SET IT FOR NAV MODE. I CONTINUED TO FLY MY COURSE AND THE LORAN GAVE BEARING, BUT THE DISTANCE WAS GETTING GREATER. I KNEW THAT HDG COULD NOT BE THE BEARING TO ZZZ2. SINCE I WASN'T SURE OF HOW TO GET TO ZZZ2, AND AT THIS POINT I JUST WANTED TO BE ON THE GND, I DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE LORAN SO THAT I COULD FIND MY WAY BACK TO ZZZ1. I DESCENDED TO 3500 FT. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE I WAS UNTIL I SAW THE COMMERCIAL PLANT OFF MY L WING. THEN, I SAW ZZZ5 AND I CHANGED COURSE TO HEAD FOR ZZZ1. I CALLED ZZZ1 UNICOM AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS ONE MILE TO THE E AND WOULD BE ENTERING DOWNWIND. APPROX 200 FT FROM TOUCHDOWN, I SAW A JET FIGHTER OFF MY R WING. AT THAT POINT, I REALIZED THAT I MUST HAVE VIOLATED ZZZ RESTR AIRSPACE. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO THE FACT THAT: I WANTED THE PEACE OF MIND OF BEING DIRECTED BY THE LORAN, BUT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH ITS OPERATION. I COULD HAVE TAKEN CORRECTIVE ACTION AS FOLLOWS: AT THE POINT OF REACHING WHERE MY THIRD CHKPOINT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, I COULD HAVE DONE A BIG CIRCLE TO THE L IN ORDER TO TRY TO FIND MY CHKPOINT. I COULD HAVE DETERMINED MY POSITION BY TUNING IN TWO VORS. I COULD HAVE CALLED FSS, TOLD THEM THAT I WAS A STUDENT PLT ON HIS LONG CROSS-COUNTRY, THAT I WAS LOST AND THAT I WANTED TO GET THE BEARING AND DISTANCE TO ZZZ2.

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.