Student pilot on cross-country became disoriented and inadvertently entered clt TCA.

Attributes
ACN	173923
Time
Date	199103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
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 : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 40 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	173923
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 620
ASRS Report	174072
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose when I was on my second x-country from newberry to rock hill and I lost my first chkpoint, so I tuned in the ft mill VOR and followed it until I got a full left deflection, I thought it wasn't working according to the NOTAMS I got before the flight so I put in the clt VOR to xchk. I was disoriented the whole flight home. I didn't realize I was in clt until I saw the major airport. I still didn't know if it was clt so I didn't know who to talk to. I saw gastonia's airport west so I turned west towards that airport and I looked at the runway. I looked it up in my airport facility directory and realized it was gastonia so at that point I learned where I was and stayed west to get out of the TCA and then proceeded south to rock hill. I realize I should of talked to someone and asked for help but I was so disoriented I didn't know who to tune in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ON CROSS-COUNTRY BECAME DISORIENTED AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLT TCA.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN I WAS ON MY SEC X-COUNTRY FROM NEWBERRY TO ROCK HILL AND I LOST MY FIRST CHKPOINT, SO I TUNED IN THE FT MILL VOR AND FOLLOWED IT UNTIL I GOT A FULL L DEFLECTION, I THOUGHT IT WASN'T WORKING ACCORDING TO THE NOTAMS I GOT BEFORE THE FLT SO I PUT IN THE CLT VOR TO XCHK. I WAS DISORIENTED THE WHOLE FLT HOME. I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS IN CLT UNTIL I SAW THE MAJOR ARPT. I STILL DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS CLT SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO. I SAW GASTONIA'S ARPT W SO I TURNED W TOWARDS THAT ARPT AND I LOOKED AT THE RWY. I LOOKED IT UP IN MY ARPT FAC DIRECTORY AND REALIZED IT WAS GASTONIA SO AT THAT POINT I LEARNED WHERE I WAS AND STAYED W TO GET OUT OF THE TCA AND THEN PROCEEDED S TO ROCK HILL. I REALIZE I SHOULD OF TALKED TO SOMEONE AND ASKED FOR HELP BUT I WAS SO DISORIENTED I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TUNE IN.

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.