Narrative:

On jan/xx/97, at about ZZ30 pm I arrive at cleveland airport and did normal inspection and preflight. Visibility was unlimited, scattered clouds, 60 degree temperature and low humidity. I was flying a rented C150. I am a student pilot with approximately 27 hours. I was flying to practice skills and build time. I flew north of the airport never losing sight of the airport. After about 1 1/2 hours I notice haze moving in from the south. I was about 10 mi northwest of the airport and could see businesses around the airport and 3 surrounding towns, approximately 20+ mi visibility. I decided to fly southeasterly down a common highway to cleveland and then across to the airport thinking that if anything happened I could turn around and fly back down the highway to an alternate airport. Shortly after I arrived at cleveland I lost sight of the airport. I attempted a 180 degree turn and because I could not see clearly I became disoriented and lost my heading. And after studying about disorientation and flicker vertigo I didn't trust any of my senses. I wasn't clear that I could determine distance and was unsure of my heading. I contacted flight services for fear of getting into a class B airspace. They instructed me to call intercontinental airport which helped me reset my heading and I continued on and landed at livingston airport. I appreciate flight services' help and understand their importance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 TRAINING FLT BECOMES LOST AND DISORIENTED DUE TO HAZE IN THE IAH AREA. PLT IS A STUDENT PLT.

Narrative: ON JAN/XX/97, AT ABOUT ZZ30 PM I ARRIVE AT CLEVELAND ARPT AND DID NORMAL INSPECTION AND PREFLT. VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED, SCATTERED CLOUDS, 60 DEG TEMP AND LOW HUMIDITY. I WAS FLYING A RENTED C150. I AM A STUDENT PLT WITH APPROX 27 HRS. I WAS FLYING TO PRACTICE SKILLS AND BUILD TIME. I FLEW N OF THE ARPT NEVER LOSING SIGHT OF THE ARPT. AFTER ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS I NOTICE HAZE MOVING IN FROM THE S. I WAS ABOUT 10 MI NW OF THE ARPT AND COULD SEE BUSINESSES AROUND THE ARPT AND 3 SURROUNDING TOWNS, APPROX 20+ MI VISIBILITY. I DECIDED TO FLY SOUTHEASTERLY DOWN A COMMON HWY TO CLEVELAND AND THEN ACROSS TO THE ARPT THINKING THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENED I COULD TURN AROUND AND FLY BACK DOWN THE HWY TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER I ARRIVED AT CLEVELAND I LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT. I ATTEMPTED A 180 DEG TURN AND BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE CLRLY I BECAME DISORIENTED AND LOST MY HEADING. AND AFTER STUDYING ABOUT DISORIENTATION AND FLICKER VERTIGO I DIDN'T TRUST ANY OF MY SENSES. I WASN'T CLR THAT I COULD DETERMINE DISTANCE AND WAS UNSURE OF MY HEADING. I CONTACTED FLT SVCS FOR FEAR OF GETTING INTO A CLASS B AIRSPACE. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL INTERCONTINENTAL ARPT WHICH HELPED ME RESET MY HEADING AND I CONTINUED ON AND LANDED AT LIVINGSTON ARPT. I APPRECIATE FLT SVCS' HELP AND UNDERSTAND THEIR IMPORTANCE.

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.