Pilot on solo crosscountry flight became disoriented. Accepted radar assist to establish location.

Attributes
ACN	139275
Time
Date	199003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bgm
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : elm
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time total : 82
ASRS Report	139275
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lack of experience with controled airport was a major factor. Missing two items on this pretkof checklist (dg). Transponder contributed to my venturing off course. Student pilot jitters flying to a controled airport. More dual instruction and compliance with the checklist could solve my problem. Departed N22 to bgm on a solo student x-country. WX cavu. Called bgm approach and established communication. Was cleared for runway 34 and accepted vectors when I could not readily locate the runway. On the ground was given progressive taxi instructions to the FBO. On takeoff I neglected to turn on my transponder and missed the call to contact departure. I mis-set the dg and ultimately contacted elmira on 121.5 to locate my position. Elmira was helpful in directing me on course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON SOLO CROSSCOUNTRY FLT BECAME DISORIENTED. ACCEPTED RADAR ASSIST TO ESTABLISH LOCATION.

Narrative: LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH CTLED ARPT WAS A MAJOR FACTOR. MISSING TWO ITEMS ON THIS PRETKOF CHKLIST (DG). TRANSPONDER CONTRIBUTED TO MY VENTURING OFF COURSE. STUDENT PLT JITTERS FLYING TO A CTLED ARPT. MORE DUAL INSTRUCTION AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CHKLIST COULD SOLVE MY PROB. DEPARTED N22 TO BGM ON A SOLO STUDENT X-COUNTRY. WX CAVU. CALLED BGM APCH AND ESTABLISHED COM. WAS CLRED FOR RWY 34 AND ACCEPTED VECTORS WHEN I COULD NOT READILY LOCATE THE RWY. ON THE GND WAS GIVEN PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE FBO. ON TKOF I NEGLECTED TO TURN ON MY TRANSPONDER AND MISSED THE CALL TO CONTACT DEP. I MIS-SET THE DG AND ULTIMATELY CONTACTED ELMIRA ON 121.5 TO LOCATE MY POS. ELMIRA WAS HELPFUL IN DIRECTING ME ON COURSE.

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