Incident Overview
A student pilot reported that during his first solo cross-country flight, he became disoriented while en route to Barwick Lafayette Airport (9A5). He elected to land at Richard B Russell Airport in Rome, Georgia, to review his flight plan before continuing to his destination.
Subsequent Disorientation and ATC Assistance
After departing Richard B Russell Airport, the student pilot again experienced disorientation. He contacted air traffic control, who provided radar vectors to 9A5.
Landing and Runway Excursion
During the landing on runway 2, the student pilot flared the airplane high and touched down hard on the runway. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway, traveled down an embankment, and collided with a ditch.
Investigation Details
The student pilot's account forms the basis of the incident report. The aircraft involved was a single-engine airplane, but further specifics such as registration, make, and model were not provided in the source. No injuries or damage details were mentioned. The weather conditions at the time of the incident were not specified.