Low time small aircraft pilot gets lost and makes unauthorized uncoord penetration of airspaces.

Attributes
ACN	156429
Time
Date	199009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tcm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tcm tower : tcm
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 90 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	156429
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a course from sportsman field (newberg, or) to kapowsin (wa). I was going to fly through on V-23 using the sea VOR, turn on the 47 mi right and fly a 25 degree heading to kapowsin. I tried many times to get seattle center for flight following using 5 different frequencys given to me from portland approach, FSS and a chart but the radios were weak and my attempts failed. I lost track of time while I was trying to contact seattle center. I had started my flight late and it was dark by the time I was over kelso. It was a rented small aircraft and I hadn't had it out at night before. Because of this and the fact that the VOR wasn't working very well I decided to stay in sight of I-5 and make my turn toward kapowsin at chehalis, that would have kept me on course. I lost track of time working with the radios and over flew chehalis, thinking it was toledo, and turned when I saw the lights of olympia thinking it was chehalis, and headed for kapowsin. Things didn't seem right at this time and I fully realized my error when I saw the lights of mcchord AFB. Not wanting to push it any more I landed at pierce co and took the plane back to kapowsin the next day. This happened between xa:30 and xa:50 and I believe that I was in violation of any or all of these airspaces, R-6703 a, B, C and D, gray aaf and mcchord AFB.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME SMA PLT GETS LOST AND MAKES UNAUTH UNCOORD PENETRATION OF AIRSPACES.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A COURSE FROM SPORTSMAN FIELD (NEWBERG, OR) TO KAPOWSIN (WA). I WAS GOING TO FLY THROUGH ON V-23 USING THE SEA VOR, TURN ON THE 47 MI R AND FLY A 25 DEG HDG TO KAPOWSIN. I TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET SEATTLE CTR FOR FLT FOLLOWING USING 5 DIFFERENT FREQS GIVEN TO ME FROM PORTLAND APCH, FSS AND A CHART BUT THE RADIOS WERE WEAK AND MY ATTEMPTS FAILED. I LOST TRACK OF TIME WHILE I WAS TRYING TO CONTACT SEATTLE CTR. I HAD STARTED MY FLT LATE AND IT WAS DARK BY THE TIME I WAS OVER KELSO. IT WAS A RENTED SMA AND I HADN'T HAD IT OUT AT NIGHT BEFORE. BECAUSE OF THIS AND THE FACT THAT THE VOR WASN'T WORKING VERY WELL I DECIDED TO STAY IN SIGHT OF I-5 AND MAKE MY TURN TOWARD KAPOWSIN AT CHEHALIS, THAT WOULD HAVE KEPT ME ON COURSE. I LOST TRACK OF TIME WORKING WITH THE RADIOS AND OVER FLEW CHEHALIS, THINKING IT WAS TOLEDO, AND TURNED WHEN I SAW THE LIGHTS OF OLYMPIA THINKING IT WAS CHEHALIS, AND HEADED FOR KAPOWSIN. THINGS DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT AT THIS TIME AND I FULLY REALIZED MY ERROR WHEN I SAW THE LIGHTS OF MCCHORD AFB. NOT WANTING TO PUSH IT ANY MORE I LANDED AT PIERCE CO AND TOOK THE PLANE BACK TO KAPOWSIN THE NEXT DAY. THIS HAPPENED BTWN XA:30 AND XA:50 AND I BELIEVE THAT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF ANY OR ALL OF THESE AIRSPACES, R-6703 A, B, C AND D, GRAY AAF AND MCCHORD AFB.

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.