Narrative:

This was my first solo, night, cross country flight. Received recent dual night training. After takeoff, I opened flight plan with pie. I was unable to contact daytona approach to get flight following on any frequency. I became fixated on radio problems and also believed I may be near to noise sensitive area (tix), so took measures to move away from housing. Flying a helicopter, so unable to take hands off controls to adjust map. Spent too much time 'in the cockpit' and mistook which road I was following. Failed to re-check heading and proceeded too far west. Became overly concerned with identing lighted masts and other waypoints. Looked up to see orlando (mco) about 4-5 NM in front. Did not violate runway alignment as all runways are ns. Immediately descended to 900 ft MSL and made simultaneous 180 degree turn to exit class B airspace. Much further west than I believed. Did not have orlando frequency visible on chart. Returned to base and closed flight plan. Did not see any conflict with other aircraft. Worst flight I have ever had. Will not make that mistake again! Keep the bigger picture, aviate, navigation, communicate. Low light illumination made the map reading much harder.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VERY LOW TIME HELI PLT ADMITTED THAT HE USED THE WRONG GND REF IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLR OF MCO'S CLASS B.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST SOLO, NIGHT, XCOUNTRY FLT. RECEIVED RECENT DUAL NIGHT TRAINING. AFTER TKOF, I OPENED FLT PLAN WITH PIE. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT DAYTONA APCH TO GET FLT FOLLOWING ON ANY FREQ. I BECAME FIXATED ON RADIO PROBS AND ALSO BELIEVED I MAY BE NEAR TO NOISE SENSITIVE AREA (TIX), SO TOOK MEASURES TO MOVE AWAY FROM HOUSING. FLYING A HELI, SO UNABLE TO TAKE HANDS OFF CTLS TO ADJUST MAP. SPENT TOO MUCH TIME 'IN THE COCKPIT' AND MISTOOK WHICH ROAD I WAS FOLLOWING. FAILED TO RE-CHK HEADING AND PROCEEDED TOO FAR W. BECAME OVERLY CONCERNED WITH IDENTING LIGHTED MASTS AND OTHER WAYPOINTS. LOOKED UP TO SEE ORLANDO (MCO) ABOUT 4-5 NM IN FRONT. DID NOT VIOLATE RWY ALIGNMENT AS ALL RWYS ARE NS. IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 900 FT MSL AND MADE SIMULTANEOUS 180 DEG TURN TO EXIT CLASS B AIRSPACE. MUCH FURTHER W THAN I BELIEVED. DID NOT HAVE ORLANDO FREQ VISIBLE ON CHART. RETURNED TO BASE AND CLOSED FLT PLAN. DID NOT SEE ANY CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. WORST FLT I HAVE EVER HAD. WILL NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN! KEEP THE BIGGER PICTURE, AVIATE, NAV, COMMUNICATE. LOW LIGHT ILLUMINATION MADE THE MAP READING MUCH HARDER.

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.