Low time GA pilot gets lost as he claims radio problems on a late night flight.

Attributes
ACN	122999
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yip
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : yip tower : dtw artcc : ztl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	122999
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took a late night x-country flight to jackson, mi, by way of VOR tracking. The flight originated from detroit city airport. The flying was about 35 mins. It was the perfect flight. Landing at jxn, mi, I departed there en route back to detroit city. I navigated by way of VOR and ADF. These instruments malfunctioned during the flight back to detroit. I could not estimate a heading and therefore became occupied looking for known landmarks. At this time of the night with relatively low night flying experience, this method did not help me. I thought I was at pontiac airport, then metropolitan detroit airport. I was not at any of these airports. I called metropolitan airport stating to them, I was lost, had an airport in sight, and would be landing because my fuel had become a serious concern. Metropolitan airport replied, 'we do not have you'. Upon landing I learned the airport was willow run airport. I was attempting to resolve an emergency by landing at the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME GA PLT GETS LOST AS HE CLAIMS RADIO PROBLEMS ON A LATE NIGHT FLT.

Narrative: I TOOK A LATE NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT TO JACKSON, MI, BY WAY OF VOR TRACKING. THE FLT ORIGINATED FROM DETROIT CITY ARPT. THE FLYING WAS ABOUT 35 MINS. IT WAS THE PERFECT FLT. LNDG AT JXN, MI, I DEPARTED THERE ENRTE BACK TO DETROIT CITY. I NAVIGATED BY WAY OF VOR AND ADF. THESE INSTRUMENTS MALFUNCTIONED DURING THE FLT BACK TO DETROIT. I COULD NOT ESTIMATE A HDG AND THEREFORE BECAME OCCUPIED LOOKING FOR KNOWN LANDMARKS. AT THIS TIME OF THE NIGHT WITH RELATIVELY LOW NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE, THIS METHOD DID NOT HELP ME. I THOUGHT I WAS AT PONTIAC ARPT, THEN METRO DETROIT ARPT. I WAS NOT AT ANY OF THESE ARPTS. I CALLED METRO ARPT STATING TO THEM, I WAS LOST, HAD AN ARPT IN SIGHT, AND WOULD BE LNDG BECAUSE MY FUEL HAD BECOME A SERIOUS CONCERN. METRO ARPT REPLIED, 'WE DO NOT HAVE YOU'. UPON LNDG I LEARNED THE ARPT WAS WILLOW RUN ARPT. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE AN EMER BY LNDG AT THE ARPT.

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.