Narrative:

I planned a x-country flight for training purposes from spa direct laf direct dpa. The mistake occurred when determining the return heading from laf to dpa. The course line drawn on the sectional used went direct from laf to boiler VOR then out along the 330 degree right to spa. I decided to track the 330 degree right to spa, then continue on the 330 degree heading after the navigation signal was lost. Upon closer examination of the sectional and course line drawn I have determined that my mistake was made at boiler VOR. The course plotted was in fact approximately 1/32 of an inch from the center of the VOR depicted. The airport symbol for sutton airport overlies the VOR symbol, making the VOR symbol difficult to determine. I should have been using the 327 right from boiler, not the 330 degree. The 3 degree mistake over a flight of 107 NM inadvertently put me into the TCA unawares. My altitude at the time was 4500'. In flight planning I planned to use gasoline tanks along the chicago canal as a visibility reference for the TCA and descend to 2500' when in sight. I, in fact, sighted a set of gasoline tanks, but the wrong ones. These tanks are further east. I made the problem worse by turning east toward the tanks. Thinking I had drifted off course. At this time I sighted a midway jet directly west and 1000' to 1500' below. Realizing I must be off course I looked around and sighted midway airport directly east at approximately 5 mi. I immediately turned west and descended to 2500'. Shaken I spent the next several mins to determine my position and calm down. Upon sighting fermi lab I had positive identify of my position and proceeded to contact dupage tower and land at dupage. A contributing factor involves the fact that I have just started flying in the chicago area, almost all of which has been hooded for instrument training. My knowledge of landmarks in the area is still somewhat limited.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLT PENETRATES TCA AND ARSA.

Narrative: I PLANNED A X-COUNTRY FLT FOR TRNING PURPOSES FROM SPA DIRECT LAF DIRECT DPA. THE MISTAKE OCCURRED WHEN DETERMINING THE RETURN HDG FROM LAF TO DPA. THE COURSE LINE DRAWN ON THE SECTIONAL USED WENT DIRECT FROM LAF TO BOILER VOR THEN OUT ALONG THE 330 DEG R TO SPA. I DECIDED TO TRACK THE 330 DEG R TO SPA, THEN CONTINUE ON THE 330 DEG HDG AFTER THE NAV SIGNAL WAS LOST. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE SECTIONAL AND COURSE LINE DRAWN I HAVE DETERMINED THAT MY MISTAKE WAS MADE AT BOILER VOR. THE COURSE PLOTTED WAS IN FACT APPROX 1/32 OF AN INCH FROM THE CTR OF THE VOR DEPICTED. THE ARPT SYMBOL FOR SUTTON ARPT OVERLIES THE VOR SYMBOL, MAKING THE VOR SYMBOL DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN USING THE 327 R FROM BOILER, NOT THE 330 DEG. THE 3 DEG MISTAKE OVER A FLT OF 107 NM INADVERTENTLY PUT ME INTO THE TCA UNAWARES. MY ALT AT THE TIME WAS 4500'. IN FLT PLANNING I PLANNED TO USE GASOLINE TANKS ALONG THE CHICAGO CANAL AS A VIS REFERENCE FOR THE TCA AND DSND TO 2500' WHEN IN SIGHT. I, IN FACT, SIGHTED A SET OF GASOLINE TANKS, BUT THE WRONG ONES. THESE TANKS ARE FURTHER E. I MADE THE PROB WORSE BY TURNING E TOWARD THE TANKS. THINKING I HAD DRIFTED OFF COURSE. AT THIS TIME I SIGHTED A MIDWAY JET DIRECTLY W AND 1000' TO 1500' BELOW. REALIZING I MUST BE OFF COURSE I LOOKED AROUND AND SIGHTED MIDWAY ARPT DIRECTLY E AT APPROX 5 MI. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED W AND DSNDED TO 2500'. SHAKEN I SPENT THE NEXT SEVERAL MINS TO DETERMINE MY POS AND CALM DOWN. UPON SIGHTING FERMI LAB I HAD POSITIVE IDENT OF MY POS AND PROCEEDED TO CONTACT DUPAGE TWR AND LAND AT DUPAGE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR INVOLVES THE FACT THAT I HAVE JUST STARTED FLYING IN THE CHICAGO AREA, ALMOST ALL OF WHICH HAS BEEN HOODED FOR INSTRUMENT TRNING. MY KNOWLEDGE OF LANDMARKS IN THE AREA IS STILL SOMEWHAT LIMITED.

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.