Unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	189627
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx airport : dvt
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 167 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	189627
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had had my license for 2 weeks, my first cross country with a passenger. Unfamiliar with desert wilderness area or local landmarks. Flying VFR from sedona, az, to phoenix deer valley airfield (within the phoenix TCA) en route home via blythe. I was flying the correct heading and altitude, following my flight plan but I didn't recognize any of the landmarks to indicate nearing the 30 mi radius. I began to get very concerned when I saw so much population below around carefree and scottsdale. I am very aware of the seriousness of TCA boundaries due to lax and san diego TCA's in the proximity of my home base at santa ana. The aqueduct was the first definite landmark I could recognize and relate to in my sectional. Realizing at that point I had crossed the boundary, I thought it would be far safer for everyone if I called approach immediately and confessed to being lost and in their airspace. I called, told them what I could recognize and my altitude and heading. They asked my intentions and by now I just wanted out of phoenix and back to a course I could recognize so I named my second destination, blythe, and asked for a vector to buckeye VOR. I think the controller thought I was really awful to be in phoenix if I wanted blythe. I followed his directions. The rest of my trip was exactly on course and according to my flight plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I HAD HAD MY LICENSE FOR 2 WKS, MY FIRST XCOUNTRY WITH A PAX. UNFAMILIAR WITH DESERT WILDERNESS AREA OR LCL LANDMARKS. FLYING VFR FROM SEDONA, AZ, TO PHOENIX DEER VALLEY AIRFIELD (WITHIN THE PHOENIX TCA) ENRTE HOME VIA BLYTHE. I WAS FLYING THE CORRECT HDG AND ALT, FOLLOWING MY FLT PLAN BUT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THE LANDMARKS TO INDICATE NEARING THE 30 MI RADIUS. I BEGAN TO GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN I SAW SO MUCH POPULATION BELOW AROUND CAREFREE AND SCOTTSDALE. I AM VERY AWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF TCA BOUNDARIES DUE TO LAX AND SAN DIEGO TCA'S IN THE PROX OF MY HOME BASE AT SANTA ANA. THE AQUEDUCT WAS THE FIRST DEFINITE LANDMARK I COULD RECOGNIZE AND RELATE TO IN MY SECTIONAL. REALIZING AT THAT POINT I HAD CROSSED THE BOUNDARY, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FAR SAFER FOR EVERYONE IF I CALLED APCH IMMEDIATELY AND CONFESSED TO BEING LOST AND IN THEIR AIRSPACE. I CALLED, TOLD THEM WHAT I COULD RECOGNIZE AND MY ALT AND HDG. THEY ASKED MY INTENTIONS AND BY NOW I JUST WANTED OUT OF PHOENIX AND BACK TO A COURSE I COULD RECOGNIZE SO I NAMED MY SECOND DEST, BLYTHE, AND ASKED FOR A VECTOR TO BUCKEYE VOR. I THINK THE CTLR THOUGHT I WAS REALLY AWFUL TO BE IN PHOENIX IF I WANTED BLYTHE. I FOLLOWED HIS DIRECTIONS. THE REST OF MY TRIP WAS EXACTLY ON COURSE AND ACCORDING TO MY FLT PLAN.

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.