An small aircraft pilot, making a night landing at dal, became disorientated, requiring ATC's help t...

Attributes
ACN	543914
Time
Date	200204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dal.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 3 msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon tower : dal.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival star : fings
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	543914
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was making the fingr 3 transition to dal. My GPS was set up for the transition. As I was on the leg to fingr, the controller told me to go to cowboy VOR. As I was flying to the VOR, the controller asked me if I could see the airport off to my left. With all the lights, I did not. I was to land on runway 13L. He gave me a turn to 270 degrees and then a tight turn to 130 degrees and asked if I saw the airport. I did and replied in the affirmative. This is where I had brain fade. I thought I was on a downwind for runway 13L, but in fact was straight in. The tower had me flick my lights and said I was to the right of runway 13R. This is where I realized my mistake and made a sharp left turn and lined up with runway 13L and made a normal landing. The contributing factors were: 1) I had been flying since XA00 am with only 2 short fuel stops. 2) I was tired and fatigued. 3) unfamiliar with the airport and night. 12 hours of flying, single pilot, some IMC, is too much for me. I will not make a trip like this again unless I break it up into 2 days. My judgement was very much affected at the end of the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT, MAKING A NIGHT LNDG AT DAL, BECAME DISORIENTATED, REQUIRING ATC'S HELP TO FIND THE RWY.

Narrative: I WAS MAKING THE FINGR 3 TRANSITION TO DAL. MY GPS WAS SET UP FOR THE TRANSITION. AS I WAS ON THE LEG TO FINGR, THE CTLR TOLD ME TO GO TO COWBOY VOR. AS I WAS FLYING TO THE VOR, THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I COULD SEE THE ARPT OFF TO MY L. WITH ALL THE LIGHTS, I DID NOT. I WAS TO LAND ON RWY 13L. HE GAVE ME A TURN TO 270 DEGS AND THEN A TIGHT TURN TO 130 DEGS AND ASKED IF I SAW THE ARPT. I DID AND REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THIS IS WHERE I HAD BRAIN FADE. I THOUGHT I WAS ON A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 13L, BUT IN FACT WAS STRAIGHT IN. THE TWR HAD ME FLICK MY LIGHTS AND SAID I WAS TO THE R OF RWY 13R. THIS IS WHERE I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND MADE A SHARP L TURN AND LINED UP WITH RWY 13L AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) I HAD BEEN FLYING SINCE XA00 AM WITH ONLY 2 SHORT FUEL STOPS. 2) I WAS TIRED AND FATIGUED. 3) UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND NIGHT. 12 HRS OF FLYING, SINGLE PLT, SOME IMC, IS TOO MUCH FOR ME. I WILL NOT MAKE A TRIP LIKE THIS AGAIN UNLESS I BREAK IT UP INTO 2 DAYS. MY JUDGEMENT WAS VERY MUCH AFFECTED AT THE END OF THE FLT.

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.

An small aircraft pilot, making a night landing at dal, became disorientated, requiring ATC's help to find the runway.