A C172 student pilot gets lost on a solo flight and lands at sby airport without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	595089
Time
Date	200309
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sby.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 24 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	595089
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My route was bwi to georgetown, de. I got off course on the way there and became disoriented. I took VOR radials, but interpreted the fixes improperly. I ended up west of where I thought I was (over top laurel), rather than georgetown or the 230 degree radial. My course south took me to salisbury, where I saw the airport. At this time I did not know where I was, only that I needed to land the airplane. It became known to me that I was at sby only after I landed. I entered salisbury from the north, flew the pattern and landed, maintaining visual contact with other aircraft. From there I re-planned my trip back to bwi, filed both flight plans, and returned home. At salisbury I discussed the incident with an FAA official, who decided to take no action. Supplemental information from acn 595688: the situation I am reporting involved a student pilot on a solo cross country. I had flown 2 dual cross country flts with student prior to solo including the day before. In addition, we had another dual flight where we covered diversions and lost procedures. Student pilot performed competently on all 3 dual flts. As a result, I endorsed the student pilot's medical certificate and logbook, stating he had received cross country flight training. In addition, I endorsed the student pilot's logbook stating he was proficient to conduct flts in class B airspace and class B airport. Student pilot began solo cross country bwi-ged. During flight student became disoriented and lost. Student pilot flew way off course and found the airport at sby. Student pilot proceeded to enter class D airspace and land at sby without clearance or 2-WAY radio communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 STUDENT PLT GETS LOST ON A SOLO FLT AND LANDS AT SBY ARPT WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: MY RTE WAS BWI TO GEORGETOWN, DE. I GOT OFF COURSE ON THE WAY THERE AND BECAME DISORIENTED. I TOOK VOR RADIALS, BUT INTERPED THE FIXES IMPROPERLY. I ENDED UP W OF WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS (OVER TOP LAUREL), RATHER THAN GEORGETOWN OR THE 230 DEG RADIAL. MY COURSE S TOOK ME TO SALISBURY, WHERE I SAW THE ARPT. AT THIS TIME I DID NOT KNOW WHERE I WAS, ONLY THAT I NEEDED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE. IT BECAME KNOWN TO ME THAT I WAS AT SBY ONLY AFTER I LANDED. I ENTERED SALISBURY FROM THE N, FLEW THE PATTERN AND LANDED, MAINTAINING VISUAL CONTACT WITH OTHER ACFT. FROM THERE I RE-PLANNED MY TRIP BACK TO BWI, FILED BOTH FLT PLANS, AND RETURNED HOME. AT SALISBURY I DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT WITH AN FAA OFFICIAL, WHO DECIDED TO TAKE NO ACTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 595688: THE SIT I AM RPTING INVOLVED A STUDENT PLT ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY. I HAD FLOWN 2 DUAL XCOUNTRY FLTS WITH STUDENT PRIOR TO SOLO INCLUDING THE DAY BEFORE. IN ADDITION, WE HAD ANOTHER DUAL FLT WHERE WE COVERED DIVERSIONS AND LOST PROCS. STUDENT PLT PERFORMED COMPETENTLY ON ALL 3 DUAL FLTS. AS A RESULT, I ENDORSED THE STUDENT PLT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND LOGBOOK, STATING HE HAD RECEIVED XCOUNTRY FLT TRAINING. IN ADDITION, I ENDORSED THE STUDENT PLT'S LOGBOOK STATING HE WAS PROFICIENT TO CONDUCT FLTS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE AND CLASS B ARPT. STUDENT PLT BEGAN SOLO XCOUNTRY BWI-GED. DURING FLT STUDENT BECAME DISORIENTED AND LOST. STUDENT PLT FLEW WAY OFF COURSE AND FOUND THE ARPT AT SBY. STUDENT PLT PROCEEDED TO ENTER CLASS D AIRSPACE AND LAND AT SBY WITHOUT CLRNC OR 2-WAY RADIO COM.

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.