Erroneous penetration of airspace. Proximity of TCA.

Attributes
ACN	217997
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah airport : dwh
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah tower : dwh artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	217997
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Lack of concentration. 2 passenger asking a lot of questions. Discovered when roads I was navigating by, were not adding up, tried to correct initially wrong dead reckoning. Immediately set up radio navigation in the aircraft - ADF - VOR - to dwh. Too late already busted the inside circle of the houston TCA. Called dwh tower. Said I was lost. They gave me a vector to the airport. I was disoriented by a rotating beacon at 1 airport that I thought was another. Since I had been dead reckoning in VFR, when I realized that I was becoming lost, I tried initially to correct with more visual scanning approximately 2 mins. Next went to ADF which had just become alive with a positive signal. Next called dwh tower and said I was lost. I was way too late in contacting either approach control or dwh tower. I was legally night current - - to take passenger -- but forgot what non-pilot passenger can do to one's concentration, especially with low time at overall night time PIC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. PROX OF TCA.

Narrative: LACK OF CONCENTRATION. 2 PAX ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS. DISCOVERED WHEN ROADS I WAS NAVING BY, WERE NOT ADDING UP, TRIED TO CORRECT INITIALLY WRONG DEAD RECKONING. IMMEDIATELY SET UP RADIO NAV IN THE ACFT - ADF - VOR - TO DWH. TOO LATE ALREADY BUSTED THE INSIDE CIRCLE OF THE HOUSTON TCA. CALLED DWH TWR. SAID I WAS LOST. THEY GAVE ME A VECTOR TO THE ARPT. I WAS DISORIENTED BY A ROTATING BEACON AT 1 ARPT THAT I THOUGHT WAS ANOTHER. SINCE I HAD BEEN DEAD RECKONING IN VFR, WHEN I REALIZED THAT I WAS BECOMING LOST, I TRIED INITIALLY TO CORRECT WITH MORE VISUAL SCANNING APPROX 2 MINS. NEXT WENT TO ADF WHICH HAD JUST BECOME ALIVE WITH A POSITIVE SIGNAL. NEXT CALLED DWH TWR AND SAID I WAS LOST. I WAS WAY TOO LATE IN CONTACTING EITHER APCH CTL OR DWH TWR. I WAS LEGALLY NIGHT CURRENT - - TO TAKE PAX -- BUT FORGOT WHAT NON-PLT PAX CAN DO TO ONE'S CONCENTRATION, ESPECIALLY WITH LOW TIME AT OVERALL NIGHT TIME PIC.

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.