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A private pilot misunderstands the use of his GPS resulting in becoming lost. While becoming reoriented and trying to locate his destination airport, he makes an unauthorized entrance into class B airspace which at the time was also designated restr airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 527390 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : owd.airport |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach ground : taxi |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 9.9 flight time total : 207.5 flight time type : 28.9 |
| ASRS Report | 527390 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I started flight at mansfield 1b9. Flew to ewb where I did a touch-and-go. Upon returning to mansfield I became lost. I put k1b9 into the GPS and following it, it led me to norwood. As I became near to the airport, I realized it was not mansfield. I called the unicom 123.0. Explained I was lost, unable to locate the mansfield airport. Finally, I realized I needed to put in 1b9 without the 'K'. When I did so I was able to find mansfield and landed. My error was that I headed to norwood airport, which is a class B, currently restr area. I flew around then, calling CTAF 123.0 stating I was lost and needed help in locating the mansfield airport. Perhaps, a better understanding of the GPS functioning would have prevented my heading in the wrong direction and getting lost. I mistakenly thought 'K' needed to be placed before putting in any airport identifier. I feel I have learned a hard lesson.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PVT PLT MISUNDERSTANDS THE USE OF HIS GPS RESULTING IN BECOMING LOST. WHILE BECOMING REORIENTED AND TRYING TO LOCATE HIS DESTINATION ARPT, HE MAKES AN UNAUTH ENTRANCE INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE WHICH AT THE TIME WAS ALSO DESIGNATED RESTR AIRSPACE.
Narrative: I STARTED FLT AT MANSFIELD 1B9. FLEW TO EWB WHERE I DID A TOUCH-AND-GO. UPON RETURNING TO MANSFIELD I BECAME LOST. I PUT K1B9 INTO THE GPS AND FOLLOWING IT, IT LED ME TO NORWOOD. AS I BECAME NEAR TO THE ARPT, I REALIZED IT WAS NOT MANSFIELD. I CALLED THE UNICOM 123.0. EXPLAINED I WAS LOST, UNABLE TO LOCATE THE MANSFIELD ARPT. FINALLY, I REALIZED I NEEDED TO PUT IN 1B9 WITHOUT THE 'K'. WHEN I DID SO I WAS ABLE TO FIND MANSFIELD AND LANDED. MY ERROR WAS THAT I HEADED TO NORWOOD ARPT, WHICH IS A CLASS B, CURRENTLY RESTR AREA. I FLEW AROUND THEN, CALLING CTAF 123.0 STATING I WAS LOST AND NEEDED HELP IN LOCATING THE MANSFIELD ARPT. PERHAPS, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GPS FUNCTIONING WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY HDG IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND GETTING LOST. I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT 'K' NEEDED TO BE PLACED BEFORE PUTTING IN ANY ARPT IDENTIFIER. I FEEL I HAVE LEARNED A HARD LESSON.
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.