Narrative:

I was on a cross country from zanesville to wadsworth. I departed from zanesville and climbed to 3000 ft and tried to activate my flight plan on 121.1 and on the newcomerstown VOR. After several attempts with no response I went to 122.45 where I activated my flight plan, and changed to akron approach to get a flight following on 118.6. I was told to squawk XXXX and was to my knowledge on course, a magnetic heading of 4 degree. My chkpoints were off from the start but I figured I would eventually cross a chkpoint. After realizing that I was lost I used the tiverton and newcomerstown VOR's that showed that I was west of my planned route. I changed course to a more north heading, and believed that I would intercept my planned route. At this time I was told to squawk 1200 for VFR to wadsworth from akron approach. I continued on my heading figuring that I was coming up on wadsworth. I continued to fly north until I realized that lake erie was on my horizon I had overflown wadsworth. Knowing that I was low on fuel I contacted cleveland radio on 122.35 where they immediately told me to contact cleveland approach. Where they gave me vectors and a squawk code. They later gave me vectors to lorain county after I told them that I was low on fuel. I then realized that I accidently entered the cleveland TCA. Factors that contributed to this situation began when I left zzu and flew off course. I did not take proper corrections to get back on course. I should have communicated to cak approach and asked for a heading, rv to my destination. To prevent this occurrence from happening again, I would communicate with the approach facilities more often since they are there to help me. I will also keep better track of my flight course as my flight progresses.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI GETS DISORIENTED, CONTINUES XCOUNTRY FLT. PENETRATES TCA, REQUIRES FLT ASSIST WHEN LOW ON FUEL.

Narrative: I WAS ON A XCOUNTRY FROM ZANESVILLE TO WADSWORTH. I DEPARTED FROM ZANESVILLE AND CLBED TO 3000 FT AND TRIED TO ACTIVATE MY FLT PLAN ON 121.1 AND ON THE NEWCOMERSTOWN VOR. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH NO RESPONSE I WENT TO 122.45 WHERE I ACTIVATED MY FLT PLAN, AND CHANGED TO AKRON APCH TO GET A FLT FOLLOWING ON 118.6. I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK XXXX AND WAS TO MY KNOWLEDGE ON COURSE, A MAG HDG OF 4 DEG. MY CHKPOINTS WERE OFF FROM THE START BUT I FIGURED I WOULD EVENTUALLY CROSS A CHKPOINT. AFTER REALIZING THAT I WAS LOST I USED THE TIVERTON AND NEWCOMERSTOWN VOR'S THAT SHOWED THAT I WAS W OF MY PLANNED RTE. I CHANGED COURSE TO A MORE N HDG, AND BELIEVED THAT I WOULD INTERCEPT MY PLANNED RTE. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200 FOR VFR TO WADSWORTH FROM AKRON APCH. I CONTINUED ON MY HDG FIGURING THAT I WAS COMING UP ON WADSWORTH. I CONTINUED TO FLY N UNTIL I REALIZED THAT LAKE ERIE WAS ON MY HORIZON I HAD OVERFLOWN WADSWORTH. KNOWING THAT I WAS LOW ON FUEL I CONTACTED CLEVELAND RADIO ON 122.35 WHERE THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME TO CONTACT CLEVELAND APCH. WHERE THEY GAVE ME VECTORS AND A SQUAWK CODE. THEY LATER GAVE ME VECTORS TO LORAIN COUNTY AFTER I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS LOW ON FUEL. I THEN REALIZED THAT I ACCIDENTLY ENTERED THE CLEVELAND TCA. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION BEGAN WHEN I LEFT ZZU AND FLEW OFF COURSE. I DID NOT TAKE PROPER CORRECTIONS TO GET BACK ON COURSE. I SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED TO CAK APCH AND ASKED FOR A HDG, RV TO MY DEST. TO PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I WOULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE APCH FACILITIES MORE OFTEN SINCE THEY ARE THERE TO HELP ME. I WILL ALSO KEEP BETTER TRACK OF MY FLT COURSE AS MY FLT PROGRESSES.

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.