Narrative:

I was asked to transport a C152 from ash to bed. I quickly checked the WX and then preflight the aircraft. I estimated a heading to bed and took off. En route, I became confused as to my location. After 25 mins en route, I called bedford tower inbound. I was set up for a right base to runway 29. As I came closer to the airport, tower did not have me in sight or on radar. At this time, I was on a 2 mi right base. I decided to exit the pattern to the left and to climb to 3000 ft AGL. I overflew the airport at 3000 ft AGL and contacted ZBW. ZBW informed me that I was near worcester and gave me a heading to bedford. I had flown approximately 25 mi too far and entered worcester's class D airspace with no contact with orh tower. Also, while I was talking with bed tower and ZBW, I had to squawk 7700 for about 10 mins while my position was determined. I believe that it was my haste in completing the flight that led to this incident. I didn't determine a certain heading nor did I plan how long the flight would take to complete. If I had completed proper preflight planning, this occurrence would not have taken place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 ON SHORT XCOUNTRY FLT FROM ASH TO BED BECAME LOST AND REQUIRED ATC ASSISTANCE TO FIND BED ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ASKED TO TRANSPORT A C152 FROM ASH TO BED. I QUICKLY CHKED THE WX AND THEN PREFLT THE ACFT. I ESTIMATED A HDG TO BED AND TOOK OFF. ENRTE, I BECAME CONFUSED AS TO MY LOCATION. AFTER 25 MINS ENRTE, I CALLED BEDFORD TWR INBOUND. I WAS SET UP FOR A R BASE TO RWY 29. AS I CAME CLOSER TO THE ARPT, TWR DID NOT HAVE ME IN SIGHT OR ON RADAR. AT THIS TIME, I WAS ON A 2 MI R BASE. I DECIDED TO EXIT THE PATTERN TO THE L AND TO CLB TO 3000 FT AGL. I OVERFLEW THE ARPT AT 3000 FT AGL AND CONTACTED ZBW. ZBW INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NEAR WORCESTER AND GAVE ME A HDG TO BEDFORD. I HAD FLOWN APPROX 25 MI TOO FAR AND ENTERED WORCESTER'S CLASS D AIRSPACE WITH NO CONTACT WITH ORH TWR. ALSO, WHILE I WAS TALKING WITH BED TWR AND ZBW, I HAD TO SQUAWK 7700 FOR ABOUT 10 MINS WHILE MY POS WAS DETERMINED. I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS MY HASTE IN COMPLETING THE FLT THAT LED TO THIS INCIDENT. I DIDN'T DETERMINE A CERTAIN HDG NOR DID I PLAN HOW LONG THE FLT WOULD TAKE TO COMPLETE. IF I HAD COMPLETED PROPER PREFLT PLANNING, THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

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.