Narrative:

On feb/thu/02, I made a business flight to see a client in ZZZ. Since I had purchased my aircraft only 3 weeks earlier, I was concerned about avoiding the controled airspace around ZZZ1 that was increased to 10 NM after sep/tue/01. My aircraft is equipped with autoplt and although new to me, I thought I could operate it properly. On the trip to ZZZ from my home base at ZZZ2, I filed VFR and purposely gave ZZZ1 a wide berth by flying a route from ZZZ3 to ZZZ4 and then to ZZZ. This also allowed me to test the autoplt and confirm that I could operate it. As everything went fine, on the return leg, I intended to simply repeat my route in reverse from ZZZ to ZZZ4 to ZZZ2. Upon leaving ZZZ, I engaged the autoplt which is coupled to LORAN with ZZZ4 indicated. I observed my time in-flight from ZZZ that at the point I should be arriving at ZZZ4 I wasn't there. When I crossed the lake and did not see the dam, I believed my position was east of ZZZ4. I disengaged the autoplt and turned west for approximately 5 mins until I saw what I thought was ZZZ4. I adjusted the setting on the LORAN to ZZZ3 and engaged the autoplt which turned me to a path that unexpectedly took me toward ZZZ1. Although I could see the field, I did not recognize it until approximately 5 mi from it. I had communication #2 set to 121.5 on the cabin speaker and immediately responded to ZZZ1 call when I heard it as I was turning away from them. ZZZ1 asked for my tail number, name, address and social security number, which I immediately provided. They gave me a squawk code, frequency and directed me toward ZZZ3 as I had disengaged the autoplt. I think I've learned never trust equipment until you become thoroughly familiar with it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 PLT VIOLATED SUA INVOLVING A MIL INSTALLATION.

Narrative: ON FEB/THU/02, I MADE A BUSINESS FLT TO SEE A CLIENT IN ZZZ. SINCE I HAD PURCHASED MY ACFT ONLY 3 WKS EARLIER, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT AVOIDING THE CTLED AIRSPACE AROUND ZZZ1 THAT WAS INCREASED TO 10 NM AFTER SEP/TUE/01. MY ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOPLT AND ALTHOUGH NEW TO ME, I THOUGHT I COULD OPERATE IT PROPERLY. ON THE TRIP TO ZZZ FROM MY HOME BASE AT ZZZ2, I FILED VFR AND PURPOSELY GAVE ZZZ1 A WIDE BERTH BY FLYING A RTE FROM ZZZ3 TO ZZZ4 AND THEN TO ZZZ. THIS ALSO ALLOWED ME TO TEST THE AUTOPLT AND CONFIRM THAT I COULD OPERATE IT. AS EVERYTHING WENT FINE, ON THE RETURN LEG, I INTENDED TO SIMPLY REPEAT MY RTE IN REVERSE FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ4 TO ZZZ2. UPON LEAVING ZZZ, I ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT WHICH IS COUPLED TO LORAN WITH ZZZ4 INDICATED. I OBSERVED MY TIME INFLT FROM ZZZ THAT AT THE POINT I SHOULD BE ARRIVING AT ZZZ4 I WASN'T THERE. WHEN I CROSSED THE LAKE AND DID NOT SEE THE DAM, I BELIEVED MY POS WAS E OF ZZZ4. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND TURNED W FOR APPROX 5 MINS UNTIL I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ZZZ4. I ADJUSTED THE SETTING ON THE LORAN TO ZZZ3 AND ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT WHICH TURNED ME TO A PATH THAT UNEXPECTEDLY TOOK ME TOWARD ZZZ1. ALTHOUGH I COULD SEE THE FIELD, I DID NOT RECOGNIZE IT UNTIL APPROX 5 MI FROM IT. I HAD COM #2 SET TO 121.5 ON THE CABIN SPEAKER AND IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO ZZZ1 CALL WHEN I HEARD IT AS I WAS TURNING AWAY FROM THEM. ZZZ1 ASKED FOR MY TAIL NUMBER, NAME, ADDRESS AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, WHICH I IMMEDIATELY PROVIDED. THEY GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE, FREQ AND DIRECTED ME TOWARD ZZZ3 AS I HAD DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. I THINK I'VE LEARNED NEVER TRUST EQUIP UNTIL YOU BECOME THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH IT.

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.