Narrative:

I took off from ZZZ1 where I picked up the plane. As I bought it from a pilot who flew by GPS to ZZZ1 from ZZZ3. I spent the night and left the next morning headed for ZZZ2. My compass seemed correct according to runway headings. However after departing and flying for 40 mins; I could not find my ground points in the mountains. I continued to follow the compass. As I came out of the mountains I was very low on gas. I saw what I thought to be a large town; but as I approached; I could see several airports. My fuel was indicating almost empty. I studied the traffic. All airports were busy. I tried calling on my handheld but found it not to be transmitting. After looking for traffic I landed at an AFB. I touched down on the end of runway and rolled about 200 ft and pulled off into the grass; got out of the plane and several vehicles came to assist me and to check for bombs; weapons; etc. Officials brought gas via police and filled my tank. Talked to people in tower. As they realized my radio did not work they allowed me to follow a vehicle to runway where I was cleared to leave on runway 20 and make r-hand departure at 2000 ft. I did so and flew straight to ZZZ2. My mechanic says a magnet vibrated loose in the compass and carried me further and further off course. I was over congested areas; out of gas; lost because of a failed compass and chose to land at the AFB because there was no traffic and I saw I could get down safe. I realized I had no real good options. I did the safest thing I could. After identing airport; I knew I was in D airspace. By this point I had no good options.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AERONCA PILOT EXPERIENCES COMPASS FAILURE AND AFTER GETTING LOST; LANDS AT AN AFB FOR FUEL AND DIRECTIONS.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM ZZZ1 WHERE I PICKED UP THE PLANE. AS I BOUGHT IT FROM A PLT WHO FLEW BY GPS TO ZZZ1 FROM ZZZ3. I SPENT THE NIGHT AND LEFT THE NEXT MORNING HEADED FOR ZZZ2. MY COMPASS SEEMED CORRECT ACCORDING TO RWY HDGS. HOWEVER AFTER DEPARTING AND FLYING FOR 40 MINS; I COULD NOT FIND MY GND POINTS IN THE MOUNTAINS. I CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE COMPASS. AS I CAME OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS I WAS VERY LOW ON GAS. I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A LARGE TOWN; BUT AS I APCHED; I COULD SEE SEVERAL ARPTS. MY FUEL WAS INDICATING ALMOST EMPTY. I STUDIED THE TFC. ALL ARPTS WERE BUSY. I TRIED CALLING ON MY HANDHELD BUT FOUND IT NOT TO BE XMITTING. AFTER LOOKING FOR TFC I LANDED AT AN AFB. I TOUCHED DOWN ON THE END OF RWY AND ROLLED ABOUT 200 FT AND PULLED OFF INTO THE GRASS; GOT OUT OF THE PLANE AND SEVERAL VEHICLES CAME TO ASSIST ME AND TO CHK FOR BOMBS; WEAPONS; ETC. OFFICIALS BROUGHT GAS VIA POLICE AND FILLED MY TANK. TALKED TO PEOPLE IN TWR. AS THEY REALIZED MY RADIO DID NOT WORK THEY ALLOWED ME TO FOLLOW A VEHICLE TO RWY WHERE I WAS CLRED TO LEAVE ON RWY 20 AND MAKE R-HAND DEP AT 2000 FT. I DID SO AND FLEW STRAIGHT TO ZZZ2. MY MECH SAYS A MAGNET VIBRATED LOOSE IN THE COMPASS AND CARRIED ME FURTHER AND FURTHER OFF COURSE. I WAS OVER CONGESTED AREAS; OUT OF GAS; LOST BECAUSE OF A FAILED COMPASS AND CHOSE TO LAND AT THE AFB BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TFC AND I SAW I COULD GET DOWN SAFE. I REALIZED I HAD NO REAL GOOD OPTIONS. I DID THE SAFEST THING I COULD. AFTER IDENTING ARPT; I KNEW I WAS IN D AIRSPACE. BY THIS POINT I HAD NO GOOD OPTIONS.

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.