Narrative:

Departed from hulman regulation terre haute, ind, approximately xx hours, 6/88, en route to hlx. When approximately 100 SM from hlx at williamsville, wv, I used blf VOR. I was limited to how high above mountains I could fly because of haze. I lost contact with blf at approximately 20 mi from hillsville, at which time I had been trying to receive their NDB but could not receive. I received galax wbob 1360 on ADF but gave up finding airport or any other ndbs or vors. I contacted greensboro on 120.9 and asked for a radar location fix. Greensboro referred me to roanoke radar which told me I was out of their airspace and told me to contact ZID and to squawk 7700. I contacted ZID and they told me to try blf VOR and by this time I could receive they told me to take a 110 degree heading into blf (about 35 mi) and I landed at blf. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot was flying low to remain clear of haze layer, unable to maintain reliable VOR signal. Unable to receive ADF located on field at blf. Received and circled over broadcast station southwest of field at galax. Unable to follow road outbnd to airport because of rising terrain. He was within 8 mi of destination. Controller suggested 7700 squawk to help locate on radar. Phone call to center indicated no problem and that controller felt everything was done in a professional manner. Had more than adequate fuel on board. No FAA follow up to date.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT LOST, UNABLE TO RECEIVE NAVIGATIONAL AIDS. REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS, LANDED AT ANOTHER ARPT.

Narrative: DEPARTED FROM HULMAN REG TERRE HAUTE, IND, APPROX XX HRS, 6/88, ENRTE TO HLX. WHEN APPROX 100 SM FROM HLX AT WILLIAMSVILLE, WV, I USED BLF VOR. I WAS LIMITED TO HOW HIGH ABOVE MOUNTAINS I COULD FLY BECAUSE OF HAZE. I LOST CONTACT WITH BLF AT APPROX 20 MI FROM HILLSVILLE, AT WHICH TIME I HAD BEEN TRYING TO RECEIVE THEIR NDB BUT COULD NOT RECEIVE. I RECEIVED GALAX WBOB 1360 ON ADF BUT GAVE UP FINDING ARPT OR ANY OTHER NDBS OR VORS. I CONTACTED GREENSBORO ON 120.9 AND ASKED FOR A RADAR LOCATION FIX. GREENSBORO REFERRED ME TO ROANOKE RADAR WHICH TOLD ME I WAS OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT ZID AND TO SQUAWK 7700. I CONTACTED ZID AND THEY TOLD ME TO TRY BLF VOR AND BY THIS TIME I COULD RECEIVE THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE A 110 DEG HDG INTO BLF (ABOUT 35 MI) AND I LANDED AT BLF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT WAS FLYING LOW TO REMAIN CLR OF HAZE LAYER, UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RELIABLE VOR SIGNAL. UNABLE TO RECEIVE ADF LOCATED ON FIELD AT BLF. RECEIVED AND CIRCLED OVER BROADCAST STATION SW OF FIELD AT GALAX. UNABLE TO FOLLOW ROAD OUTBND TO ARPT BECAUSE OF RISING TERRAIN. HE WAS WITHIN 8 MI OF DEST. CTLR SUGGESTED 7700 SQUAWK TO HELP LOCATE ON RADAR. PHONE CALL TO CENTER INDICATED NO PROB AND THAT CTLR FELT EVERYTHING WAS DONE IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. HAD MORE THAN ADEQUATE FUEL ON BOARD. NO FAA FOLLOW UP TO DATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.