Off airport emergency landing performed by spi in cross country flight.

Attributes
ACN	275594
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vnc
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 57 flight time total : 63 flight time type : 63
ASRS Report	275594
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route on a cross country flight from venice to sebring, I failed to locate the airport, circled an unknown airport without landing there. Due to onset of rain, I turned back to venice with the intention of landing at an airport on the way. Discovering a known landmark, I realized my heading would not lead to venice. I wanted to reach the coast and cruise south to vnc. Visibility became worse and I headed inland to avoid storm clouds. Having been in the air almost 3 hours by now, not being sure of my position, the fuel tanks running almost empty, I decided to look for a suitable landing spot. Not finding one of the private landing strips, I circled a field and decided to land there (precautionary landing). Had I landed at the unknown airport in the vicinity of sebring, this situation would not have arisen. Being lost, I should have used VOR or landmarks to find a fix point. The decision to make a precautionary landing was a good one, but could have been avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OFF ARPT EMER LNDG PERFORMED BY SPI IN XCOUNTRY FLT.

Narrative: ENRTE ON A XCOUNTRY FLT FROM VENICE TO SEBRING, I FAILED TO LOCATE THE ARPT, CIRCLED AN UNKNOWN ARPT WITHOUT LNDG THERE. DUE TO ONSET OF RAIN, I TURNED BACK TO VENICE WITH THE INTENTION OF LNDG AT AN ARPT ON THE WAY. DISCOVERING A KNOWN LANDMARK, I REALIZED MY HDG WOULD NOT LEAD TO VENICE. I WANTED TO REACH THE COAST AND CRUISE S TO VNC. VISIBILITY BECAME WORSE AND I HEADED INLAND TO AVOID STORM CLOUDS. HAVING BEEN IN THE AIR ALMOST 3 HRS BY NOW, NOT BEING SURE OF MY POS, THE FUEL TANKS RUNNING ALMOST EMPTY, I DECIDED TO LOOK FOR A SUITABLE LNDG SPOT. NOT FINDING ONE OF THE PVT LNDG STRIPS, I CIRCLED A FIELD AND DECIDED TO LAND THERE (PRECAUTIONARY LNDG). HAD I LANDED AT THE UNKNOWN ARPT IN THE VICINITY OF SEBRING, THIS SIT WOULD NOT HAVE ARISEN. BEING LOST, I SHOULD HAVE USED VOR OR LANDMARKS TO FIND A FIX POINT. THE DECISION TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS A GOOD ONE, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

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.