Narrative:

I am an a&P and I maintain the PA28 aircraft for the opportunity to fly and obtain my private license. The owner of the aircraft purchased a garmin 195 handheld GPS. I installed the unit in the aircraft and having never flown with one; I decided to do a trip to see how it operated. I departed and flew to ZZZ1. I had lunch there with my instructor. I then decided to go to ZZZ2 to refuel as they were selling their fuel 75C per gal cheaper than at ZZZ. This was my first time into ZZZ2. The GPS was working super as it took me right to ZZZ1 and then to ZZZ2. At ZZZ2; I input ZZZ into the GPS to take me home. I departed and once I left the pattern; I turned to the flight path the GPS was indicating to ZZZ. As I was following the GPS flight path I noticed numerous houses; too much for ZZZ. I decided something was wrong and immediately made a 180 degrees back to ZZZ2. When I saw ZZZ2 I tuned in VOR and headed towards ZZZ using the VOR and forgetting about the GPS. About 10 mi from ZZZ the border patrol came along side me and followed me to ZZZ. On the ground at ZZZ I could view the position of my plane on the GPS but it was showing ZZZ to be to the northeast. I showed this to the pilot of the border patrol and he couldn't understand why there were 2 ZZZ's. Later I called garmin and they stated that someone must have had the unit at a different location (like home) and input ZZZ as a waypoint. This was my first day flying as a private pilot. You don't know how proud I am that I achieved this. I fly out of ZZZ and am familiar with the ADIZ as we are less than 3 mi away from it. I was just so enamored with the GPS that I didn't pay attention to the compass heading it was taking me. I am embarrassed. This is a lesson learned for life.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT ENTERS DC ADIZ ON FIRST LICENSED FLT.

Narrative: I AM AN A&P AND I MAINTAIN THE PA28 ACFT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY AND OBTAIN MY PVT LICENSE. THE OWNER OF THE ACFT PURCHASED A GARMIN 195 HANDHELD GPS. I INSTALLED THE UNIT IN THE ACFT AND HAVING NEVER FLOWN WITH ONE; I DECIDED TO DO A TRIP TO SEE HOW IT OPERATED. I DEPARTED AND FLEW TO ZZZ1. I HAD LUNCH THERE WITH MY INSTRUCTOR. I THEN DECIDED TO GO TO ZZZ2 TO REFUEL AS THEY WERE SELLING THEIR FUEL 75C PER GAL CHEAPER THAN AT ZZZ. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME INTO ZZZ2. THE GPS WAS WORKING SUPER AS IT TOOK ME RIGHT TO ZZZ1 AND THEN TO ZZZ2. AT ZZZ2; I INPUT ZZZ INTO THE GPS TO TAKE ME HOME. I DEPARTED AND ONCE I LEFT THE PATTERN; I TURNED TO THE FLT PATH THE GPS WAS INDICATING TO ZZZ. AS I WAS FOLLOWING THE GPS FLT PATH I NOTICED NUMEROUS HOUSES; TOO MUCH FOR ZZZ. I DECIDED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND IMMEDIATELY MADE A 180 DEGS BACK TO ZZZ2. WHEN I SAW ZZZ2 I TUNED IN VOR AND HEADED TOWARDS ZZZ USING THE VOR AND FORGETTING ABOUT THE GPS. ABOUT 10 MI FROM ZZZ THE BORDER PATROL CAME ALONG SIDE ME AND FOLLOWED ME TO ZZZ. ON THE GND AT ZZZ I COULD VIEW THE POS OF MY PLANE ON THE GPS BUT IT WAS SHOWING ZZZ TO BE TO THE NE. I SHOWED THIS TO THE PLT OF THE BORDER PATROL AND HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WERE 2 ZZZ'S. LATER I CALLED GARMIN AND THEY STATED THAT SOMEONE MUST HAVE HAD THE UNIT AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION (LIKE HOME) AND INPUT ZZZ AS A WAYPOINT. THIS WAS MY FIRST DAY FLYING AS A PVT PLT. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW PROUD I AM THAT I ACHIEVED THIS. I FLY OUT OF ZZZ AND AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ADIZ AS WE ARE LESS THAN 3 MI AWAY FROM IT. I WAS JUST SO ENAMORED WITH THE GPS THAT I DIDN'T PAY ATTN TO THE COMPASS HDG IT WAS TAKING ME. I AM EMBARRASSED. THIS IS A LESSON LEARNED FOR LIFE.

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.