Narrative:

I departed manassas regional airport runway 16R for my first solo flight in the practice area (outside the pattern). Manassas ground had advised me to squawk XXXX, and to call pct upon departure. There was a break in the ATC conversation when I was at approximately 1000 ft, and I contacted pct. I had difficulty hearing the controller and I attempted to fix the volume. I departed the pattern after 1200 ft. I did not hear pct confirm that I had cleared the ADIZ, although I had been flying for at least 10 mins and passed landmarks that are outside ADIZ. I became concerned and called pct. The controller said that they had called me, but I did not respond. I believe they also told me to squawk 1200 which I did. Since I was outside the area with which I am familiar, I checked my map to see if I could identify any landmarks. I was unsuccessful and flew a heading of 060 degrees to return to the portion of the practice area with which I am familiar. I did not tune cassanova VOR because it was OTS on this day. In retrospect, I should have considered waiting until cassanova was operable to make my first solo flight in the practice area. At this point, I should have called the manassas tower to let them know that I was lost. However I thought I would eventually recognize a landmark. I spotted a large lake and mistook it for horsefeather. In fact, it was lake manassas. At this point pct called me and told me to squawk 1200. I told them pct already told me to squawk it. I didn't realize I had broken the ADIZ. He asked me to take down a number. I was having difficulty hearing, and I was growing increasingly concerned that I could not find my position on the map. I had difficulty communicating with the controller because of the problem with the volume. I was also concerned that I was taking up too much air time. After some additional conversation with the controller, I received 2 headings to return to manassas airport. I should have asked him to provide me with directions earlier, but I thought I would eventually find the lake on the map. I promptly called the number I was given when I landed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ON FIRST SOLO FLT OUTSIDE OF TFC PATTERN AT HEF BECAME DISORIENTED, EXITED AND THEN REENTERED DC ADIZ WITHOUT OBTAINING DISCRETE CODE NOR MAKING CONTACT WITH PCT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MANASSAS REGIONAL ARPT RWY 16R FOR MY FIRST SOLO FLT IN THE PRACTICE AREA (OUTSIDE THE PATTERN). MANASSAS GND HAD ADVISED ME TO SQUAWK XXXX, AND TO CALL PCT UPON DEP. THERE WAS A BREAK IN THE ATC CONVERSATION WHEN I WAS AT APPROX 1000 FT, AND I CONTACTED PCT. I HAD DIFFICULTY HEARING THE CTLR AND I ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE VOLUME. I DEPARTED THE PATTERN AFTER 1200 FT. I DID NOT HEAR PCT CONFIRM THAT I HAD CLRED THE ADIZ, ALTHOUGH I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR AT LEAST 10 MINS AND PASSED LANDMARKS THAT ARE OUTSIDE ADIZ. I BECAME CONCERNED AND CALLED PCT. THE CTLR SAID THAT THEY HAD CALLED ME, BUT I DID NOT RESPOND. I BELIEVE THEY ALSO TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 WHICH I DID. SINCE I WAS OUTSIDE THE AREA WITH WHICH I AM FAMILIAR, I CHKED MY MAP TO SEE IF I COULD IDENT ANY LANDMARKS. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND FLEW A HEADING OF 060 DEGS TO RETURN TO THE PORTION OF THE PRACTICE AREA WITH WHICH I AM FAMILIAR. I DID NOT TUNE CASSANOVA VOR BECAUSE IT WAS OTS ON THIS DAY. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED WAITING UNTIL CASSANOVA WAS OPERABLE TO MAKE MY FIRST SOLO FLT IN THE PRACTICE AREA. AT THIS POINT, I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THE MANASSAS TWR TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS LOST. HOWEVER I THOUGHT I WOULD EVENTUALLY RECOGNIZE A LANDMARK. I SPOTTED A LARGE LAKE AND MISTOOK IT FOR HORSEFEATHER. IN FACT, IT WAS LAKE MANASSAS. AT THIS POINT PCT CALLED ME AND TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200. I TOLD THEM PCT ALREADY TOLD ME TO SQUAWK IT. I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD BROKEN THE ADIZ. HE ASKED ME TO TAKE DOWN A NUMBER. I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY HEARING, AND I WAS GROWING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED THAT I COULD NOT FIND MY POS ON THE MAP. I HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH THE CTLR BECAUSE OF THE PROB WITH THE VOLUME. I WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT I WAS TAKING UP TOO MUCH AIR TIME. AFTER SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION WITH THE CTLR, I RECEIVED 2 HEADINGS TO RETURN TO MANASSAS ARPT. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED HIM TO PROVIDE ME WITH DIRECTIONS EARLIER, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD EVENTUALLY FIND THE LAKE ON THE MAP. I PROMPTLY CALLED THE NUMBER I WAS GIVEN WHEN I LANDED.

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.