Narrative:

I started my first solo cross country. Shortly after departure, I opened my VFR flight plan from phk to sua with mia radio 122.35. As I climbed to my cruising altitude of 3500 ft MSL, I received VFR flight following from pbi approach on 124.60. Before I arrived at my fist check point, I requested a descent to 2000 ft MSL to maintain VFR cloud clrncs. During my descent I made some turns to further maintain VFR. At this point I became disoriented as to my position. I knew I should have contacted pbi and tell them of my disorientation but it was at that point that I felt I had spotted landmarks that led me to believe I was back on my course. I eventually thought that I was north of stuart airport because I could see an airport several mi to the south. In my relief to see what I thought was sua, I listened to the advisories of pbi approach, yet, nervous, I did not fully think about what the controller was actually telling me. This was just one of my links in a chain of errors I made that flight. At this point, I canceled flight following, believing I had the airport in sight, and soon after canceled my VFR flight plan with mia radio. The closer I got to the airport, I began speaking with sua tower on 126.6. About 1 1/2 - 2 mi from the airport I saw a large aircraft at my 3 O'clock position. At this point I knew something was wrong. About to make a radio call I was contacted by sua tower to contact pbi approach. I was told by either sua tower or palm beach approach to make a sharp left turn (being nervous I don't remember which one told me this). I was then vectored to the east to the coast line. I, at this point (upon reaching the coast line) realized I had been in class C airspace. I then proceeded north to sua and landed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INEXPERIENCED PLT BECAME DISORIENTED AND STRAYED INTO PBI CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT ESTABLISHING 2-WAY RADIO COMS.

Narrative: I STARTED MY FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY. SHORTLY AFTER DEP, I OPENED MY VFR FLT PLAN FROM PHK TO SUA WITH MIA RADIO 122.35. AS I CLBED TO MY CRUISING ALT OF 3500 FT MSL, I RECEIVED VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM PBI APCH ON 124.60. BEFORE I ARRIVED AT MY FIST CHK POINT, I REQUESTED A DSCNT TO 2000 FT MSL TO MAINTAIN VFR CLOUD CLRNCS. DURING MY DSCNT I MADE SOME TURNS TO FURTHER MAINTAIN VFR. AT THIS POINT I BECAME DISORIENTED AS TO MY POS. I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED PBI AND TELL THEM OF MY DISORIENTATION BUT IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT I FELT I HAD SPOTTED LANDMARKS THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE I WAS BACK ON MY COURSE. I EVENTUALLY THOUGHT THAT I WAS N OF STUART ARPT BECAUSE I COULD SEE AN ARPT SEVERAL MI TO THE S. IN MY RELIEF TO SEE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SUA, I LISTENED TO THE ADVISORIES OF PBI APCH, YET, NERVOUS, I DID NOT FULLY THINK ABOUT WHAT THE CTLR WAS ACTUALLY TELLING ME. THIS WAS JUST ONE OF MY LINKS IN A CHAIN OF ERRORS I MADE THAT FLT. AT THIS POINT, I CANCELED FLT FOLLOWING, BELIEVING I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, AND SOON AFTER CANCELED MY VFR FLT PLAN WITH MIA RADIO. THE CLOSER I GOT TO THE ARPT, I BEGAN SPEAKING WITH SUA TWR ON 126.6. ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 MI FROM THE ARPT I SAW A LARGE ACFT AT MY 3 O'CLOCK POS. AT THIS POINT I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. ABOUT TO MAKE A RADIO CALL I WAS CONTACTED BY SUA TWR TO CONTACT PBI APCH. I WAS TOLD BY EITHER SUA TWR OR PALM BEACH APCH TO MAKE A SHARP L TURN (BEING NERVOUS I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE TOLD ME THIS). I WAS THEN VECTORED TO THE E TO THE COAST LINE. I, AT THIS POINT (UPON REACHING THE COAST LINE) REALIZED I HAD BEEN IN CLASS C AIRSPACE. I THEN PROCEEDED N TO SUA AND LANDED.

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.