Narrative:

I was on a solo cross country in a C152. Everything seemed alright at first; I was approximately where I should be from my first chkpoint. After a while; I noticed that the directional gyro had precessed about 20 degrees; so I reset it to the magnetic compass. After flying for about 40 mins; I should have been at my destination; however; I was not; and I wasn't sure where I was. I flew around for another 1 hour 20 mins over a well populated area. After 2 hours of flying and being disoriented; the air was becoming increasingly turbulent and I was becoming increasingly stressed out and found myself beginning to hyperventilate and getting lightheaded. At that point; I became very concerned with getting on the ground safely. I was aware of 2 airports in the area but I didn't know who they were. One had airliners in the pattern and was obviously class B and the other was a medium sized airport with 2 runways. I decided on the smaller; non class B airport but I did not know the frequencys to establish communications. In my desperation; I just landed the airplane. It turned out to be class D airspace and I hadn't communicated with the tower. After I landed; I called the tower to explain what happened and to apologize. I think that if I had been knowledgeable in the correct use of the VOR I could have gotten myself home and avoided the incident altogether.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 STUDENT PLT BECAME DISORIENTED; NORDO; LOST AND LANDED AT A NEARBY ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY IN A C152. EVERYTHING SEEMED ALRIGHT AT FIRST; I WAS APPROX WHERE I SHOULD BE FROM MY FIRST CHKPOINT. AFTER A WHILE; I NOTICED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO HAD PRECESSED ABOUT 20 DEGS; SO I RESET IT TO THE MAGNETIC COMPASS. AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 40 MINS; I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT MY DEST; HOWEVER; I WAS NOT; AND I WASN'T SURE WHERE I WAS. I FLEW AROUND FOR ANOTHER 1 HR 20 MINS OVER A WELL POPULATED AREA. AFTER 2 HRS OF FLYING AND BEING DISORIENTED; THE AIR WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY TURBULENT AND I WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY STRESSED OUT AND FOUND MYSELF BEGINNING TO HYPERVENTILATE AND GETTING LIGHTHEADED. AT THAT POINT; I BECAME VERY CONCERNED WITH GETTING ON THE GND SAFELY. I WAS AWARE OF 2 ARPTS IN THE AREA BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE. ONE HAD AIRLINERS IN THE PATTERN AND WAS OBVIOUSLY CLASS B AND THE OTHER WAS A MEDIUM SIZED ARPT WITH 2 RWYS. I DECIDED ON THE SMALLER; NON CLASS B ARPT BUT I DID NOT KNOW THE FREQS TO ESTABLISH COMS. IN MY DESPERATION; I JUST LANDED THE AIRPLANE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE CLASS D AIRSPACE AND I HADN'T COMMUNICATED WITH THE TWR. AFTER I LANDED; I CALLED THE TWR TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED AND TO APOLOGIZE. I THINK THAT IF I HAD BEEN KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE CORRECT USE OF THE VOR I COULD HAVE GOTTEN MYSELF HOME AND AVOIDED THE INCIDENT ALTOGETHER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.