Narrative:

I departed bremerton (pwt) for a direct VFR flight to blaine (4w6). 40 mins into the flight, I noticed the right fuel gauge read almost zero. Although I knew that I couldn't have used 13 gals already, I did wonder if I had a leak or a loose fuel cap. I was close to blaine, so I continued. Then I started to question my exact location. I couldn't make out landmarks that appeared on my sectional. Soon, I was seeing things and landmarks that I knew must be in canada! Once I saw a 'large' airport, (later idented as vancouver international) I turned westerly and followed the shoreline. Within just a few moments, I found a smaller airport (blaine?). I circled the field, attempting to see a name or frequency on the runway or hangar. Nothing! I viewed the situation as this: I have fuel concerns, it's getting late (the sun is already down), I'm lost, every min seems like an hour, and this could be blaine. I put 122.8 (blaine) in the radio, entered the pattern, and landed. I taxied up to the first human I could find and asked him where he thought we were. He said 'boundary bay'...'canada.' he gave me the necessary frequencys for tower/ground. Once in the air, the tower directed me straight to the real blaine. Within mins, 5 law enforcement vehicles arrived to welcome me to blaine, and the united states. Lots of questions, lots of explaining, search of the plane, more questions. It all ended with a group photo. I had checked my fuel level back in boundary bay (czbb) with 14 gals remaining, I flew back to pwt with no further incident. I believe I've covered all of the chain of events except one, 'corrective action.' I wouldn't head off to a new destination so late in the fall afternoon. It became darker much sooner than I expected. While not a problem in getting back to familiar territory, it was definitely a problem finding my destination. I would put more into the planning phase of the flight. With landmarks easier to identify, I would definitely make better use of available navaids. I would also make use of 'flight following.' even this by itself could have made a big difference. I now have my wife's authority/authorized to get a good 'GPS.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT GOT LOST, WITH NIGHT APCHING, AND RUNNING SHORT OF FUEL, THE PLT LANDED AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT. IT HAPPENED TO BE IN CANADA.

Narrative: I DEPARTED BREMERTON (PWT) FOR A DIRECT VFR FLT TO BLAINE (4W6). 40 MINS INTO THE FLT, I NOTICED THE R FUEL GAUGE READ ALMOST ZERO. ALTHOUGH I KNEW THAT I COULDN'T HAVE USED 13 GALS ALREADY, I DID WONDER IF I HAD A LEAK OR A LOOSE FUEL CAP. I WAS CLOSE TO BLAINE, SO I CONTINUED. THEN I STARTED TO QUESTION MY EXACT LOCATION. I COULDN'T MAKE OUT LANDMARKS THAT APPEARED ON MY SECTIONAL. SOON, I WAS SEEING THINGS AND LANDMARKS THAT I KNEW MUST BE IN CANADA! ONCE I SAW A 'LARGE' ARPT, (LATER IDENTED AS VANCOUVER INTL) I TURNED WESTERLY AND FOLLOWED THE SHORELINE. WITHIN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, I FOUND A SMALLER ARPT (BLAINE?). I CIRCLED THE FIELD, ATTEMPTING TO SEE A NAME OR FREQ ON THE RWY OR HANGAR. NOTHING! I VIEWED THE SIT AS THIS: I HAVE FUEL CONCERNS, IT'S GETTING LATE (THE SUN IS ALREADY DOWN), I'M LOST, EVERY MIN SEEMS LIKE AN HR, AND THIS COULD BE BLAINE. I PUT 122.8 (BLAINE) IN THE RADIO, ENTERED THE PATTERN, AND LANDED. I TAXIED UP TO THE FIRST HUMAN I COULD FIND AND ASKED HIM WHERE HE THOUGHT WE WERE. HE SAID 'BOUNDARY BAY'...'CANADA.' HE GAVE ME THE NECESSARY FREQS FOR TWR/GND. ONCE IN THE AIR, THE TWR DIRECTED ME STRAIGHT TO THE REAL BLAINE. WITHIN MINS, 5 LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES ARRIVED TO WELCOME ME TO BLAINE, AND THE UNITED STATES. LOTS OF QUESTIONS, LOTS OF EXPLAINING, SEARCH OF THE PLANE, MORE QUESTIONS. IT ALL ENDED WITH A GROUP PHOTO. I HAD CHKED MY FUEL LEVEL BACK IN BOUNDARY BAY (CZBB) WITH 14 GALS REMAINING, I FLEW BACK TO PWT WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE I'VE COVERED ALL OF THE CHAIN OF EVENTS EXCEPT ONE, 'CORRECTIVE ACTION.' I WOULDN'T HEAD OFF TO A NEW DEST SO LATE IN THE FALL AFTERNOON. IT BECAME DARKER MUCH SOONER THAN I EXPECTED. WHILE NOT A PROB IN GETTING BACK TO FAMILIAR TERRITORY, IT WAS DEFINITELY A PROB FINDING MY DEST. I WOULD PUT MORE INTO THE PLANNING PHASE OF THE FLT. WITH LANDMARKS EASIER TO IDENT, I WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE BETTER USE OF AVAILABLE NAVAIDS. I WOULD ALSO MAKE USE OF 'FLT FOLLOWING.' EVEN THIS BY ITSELF COULD HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE. I NOW HAVE MY WIFE'S AUTH TO GET A GOOD 'GPS.'

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.