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Student pilot on first solo cross country mistakenly enters ric class C airspace believing it to be the planned destination; W75.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 702410 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200607 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ric.vortac |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 152 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 702410 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry inflight encounter other non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The visibility was low and when I saw ric I assumed it was petersburg. Once I passed over the airport; I saw skyscrapers in the distance and realized it had to be ric so I immediately turned away from the airport to get out of their airspace and descended to 800 ft to avoid any traffic. A police plane approached me after I made my turn so I waved my wings to signal for help. He turned off behind me and I thought had left; but found out later that he proceeded to follow me. When I finally got him on the radio he offered to get me to hummel (W75) but I found the airport so he decided to follow me in. Since my mistake I have memorized the emergency frequency and gone over the proper procedures with my instructor. I used the harcum VOR to get me from ric to harcum and then found my way to hummel from there.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: STUDENT PLT ON FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY MISTAKENLY ENTERS RIC CLASS C AIRSPACE BELIEVING IT TO BE THE PLANNED DEST; W75.
Narrative: THE VISIBILITY WAS LOW AND WHEN I SAW RIC I ASSUMED IT WAS PETERSBURG. ONCE I PASSED OVER THE ARPT; I SAW SKYSCRAPERS IN THE DISTANCE AND REALIZED IT HAD TO BE RIC SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AWAY FROM THE ARPT TO GET OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND DSNDED TO 800 FT TO AVOID ANY TFC. A POLICE PLANE APCHED ME AFTER I MADE MY TURN SO I WAVED MY WINGS TO SIGNAL FOR HELP. HE TURNED OFF BEHIND ME AND I THOUGHT HAD LEFT; BUT FOUND OUT LATER THAT HE PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW ME. WHEN I FINALLY GOT HIM ON THE RADIO HE OFFERED TO GET ME TO HUMMEL (W75) BUT I FOUND THE ARPT SO HE DECIDED TO FOLLOW ME IN. SINCE MY MISTAKE I HAVE MEMORIZED THE EMER FREQ AND GONE OVER THE PROPER PROCS WITH MY INSTRUCTOR. I USED THE HARCUM VOR TO GET ME FROM RIC TO HARCUM AND THEN FOUND MY WAY TO HUMMEL FROM THERE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.