C152 student pilot, on first solo cross country flight, did not trust or understand her VOR, got los...

Attributes
ACN	582932
Time
Date	200305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mld.vor
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl single value : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
ASRS Report	582932
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I am writing to report my call for assistance to the flight service station. This was my first cross country solo on a course I had previously flown with my instructor. I was on the second leg of my flight plan leaving pocatello, identification. Practicing use of the VOR, I realized that I had shifted course from that of my flight plan. Having confused myself with the VOR indications I began also to doubt the headings I should have followed in my flight plan. I felt that I should be able to get myself back on course by comparing my sectional map with the surrounding area. However, the terrain throughout that area has many mountain ranges forming various valleys and I struggled to distinguish any significant landmarks. I realized the time I had allotted myself for this leg of my plan had expired. I began to circle while I called the FSS or boise radio to let them know I was still in the air and ask for help in finding my location. The woman I spoke with asked for my heading and altitude and then for me to squawk 7700 on my transponder. She then asked me to switch over to ZLC where I was given a heading to follow leading me back to malad, identification. I learned from this event that I needed to spend more time tracking a VOR and have requested such from my instructor. I also need to have more confidence in my flight plan as to not second guess a plan I know to be correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 STUDENT PLT, ON FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT, DID NOT TRUST OR UNDERSTAND HER VOR, GOT LOST, AND HAD TO BE RESCUED BY A FLT SVC SPECIALIST AND A ZLC RADAR CTLR.

Narrative: I AM WRITING TO RPT MY CALL FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE FLT SVC STATION. THIS WAS MY FIRST XCOUNTRY SOLO ON A COURSE I HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN WITH MY INSTRUCTOR. I WAS ON THE SECOND LEG OF MY FLT PLAN LEAVING POCATELLO, ID. PRACTICING USE OF THE VOR, I REALIZED THAT I HAD SHIFTED COURSE FROM THAT OF MY FLT PLAN. HAVING CONFUSED MYSELF WITH THE VOR INDICATIONS I BEGAN ALSO TO DOUBT THE HEADINGS I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED IN MY FLT PLAN. I FELT THAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET MYSELF BACK ON COURSE BY COMPARING MY SECTIONAL MAP WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA. HOWEVER, THE TERRAIN THROUGHOUT THAT AREA HAS MANY MOUNTAIN RANGES FORMING VARIOUS VALLEYS AND I STRUGGLED TO DISTINGUISH ANY SIGNIFICANT LANDMARKS. I REALIZED THE TIME I HAD ALLOTTED MYSELF FOR THIS LEG OF MY PLAN HAD EXPIRED. I BEGAN TO CIRCLE WHILE I CALLED THE FSS OR BOISE RADIO TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS STILL IN THE AIR AND ASK FOR HELP IN FINDING MY LOCATION. THE WOMAN I SPOKE WITH ASKED FOR MY HEADING AND ALT AND THEN FOR ME TO SQUAWK 7700 ON MY XPONDER. SHE THEN ASKED ME TO SWITCH OVER TO ZLC WHERE I WAS GIVEN A HEADING TO FOLLOW LEADING ME BACK TO MALAD, ID. I LEARNED FROM THIS EVENT THAT I NEEDED TO SPEND MORE TIME TRACKING A VOR AND HAVE REQUESTED SUCH FROM MY INSTRUCTOR. I ALSO NEED TO HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN MY FLT PLAN AS TO NOT SECOND GUESS A PLAN I KNOW TO BE CORRECT.

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.

C152 student pilot, on first solo cross country flight, did not trust or understand her VOR, got lost, and had to be rescued by a flight service specialist and a ZLC radar controller.