An small aircraft private pilot became disoriented near his destination airport. He then had communication problems. The tower disciplined him over the air.

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Attributes
ACN	209861
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lbe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lbe
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 208 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	209861
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was on an 87 mi cross country trip from O4G to lbe attempted to radio lbe approximately 8 sme out northwest. Communication #2 receiver was not working. Last 5-10 mi visibility dropped from 12 mi to 4 mi. By the time I switched to communication I and raised tower on radio, I ended up 2-3 sme west of lbe. I mistakenly informed tower I was east of airport. Tower called center to locate my aircraft. Before they verified my position, I was checking navigation to confirm position of airport thinking possibly I was lost. Got too close to lbe. I understand the tower's reason for chewing me out. Should have circled 6-8 mi out and waited for clearance. Possibly divert to a lesser field. I hope the changes to the simpler airspace designations abcde and G doesn't confuse us private pilots further. It seems to me that the FAA should have more latitude in disciplinary action than just how long to suspend a pilot license. Contributing factor; poor reading of duat forecast before flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PVT PLT BECAME DISORIENTED NEAR HIS DEST ARPT. HE THEN HAD COM PROBLEMS. THE TWR DISCIPLINED HIM OVER THE AIR.

Narrative: WAS ON AN 87 MI XCOUNTRY TRIP FROM O4G TO LBE ATTEMPTED TO RADIO LBE APPROX 8 SME OUT NW. COM #2 RECEIVER WAS NOT WORKING. LAST 5-10 MI VISIBILITY DROPPED FROM 12 MI TO 4 MI. BY THE TIME I SWITCHED TO COM I AND RAISED TWR ON RADIO, I ENDED UP 2-3 SME W OF LBE. I MISTAKENLY INFORMED TWR I WAS E OF ARPT. TWR CALLED CTR TO LOCATE MY ACFT. BEFORE THEY VERIFIED MY POS, I WAS CHKING NAV TO CONFIRM POS OF ARPT THINKING POSSIBLY I WAS LOST. GOT TOO CLOSE TO LBE. I UNDERSTAND THE TWR'S REASON FOR CHEWING ME OUT. SHOULD HAVE CIRCLED 6-8 MI OUT AND WAITED FOR CLRNC. POSSIBLY DIVERT TO A LESSER FIELD. I HOPE THE CHANGES TO THE SIMPLER AIRSPACE DESIGNATIONS ABCDE AND G DOESN'T CONFUSE US PRIVATE PLTS FURTHER. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE FAA SHOULD HAVE MORE LATITUDE IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION THAN JUST HOW LONG TO SUSPEND A PLT LICENSE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR; POOR READING OF DUAT FORECAST BEFORE FLT.

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.