SMA STUDENT PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED PROHIBITED AIRSPACE DURING HIS LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLT WHEN HE BECAME LOST AND TURNED BACK TOWARD HIS HOME BASE. HE NOTED A MIL FIGHTER OFF OF HIS R WING JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.

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I HAD DRAWN A CIRCLE WITH AN EIGHT NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER OF RESTR AREA ZZZ ON MY CHART; TO INDICATE THE NEW BOUNDARIES OF RESTR AREA ZZZ; AS OF 10/WED/01. I USED MY CELL PHONE TO FILE MY FLT PLAN AND GET A WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO PERFORMING A PREFLT INSPECTION. SINCE I HAD PLANNED TO FLY AT 4500 FT ON MY FIRST LEG FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2; I USED WINDS 170 DEGS AT 15 KNOTS TO DETERMINE THE COURSE. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO FULFILL MY LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY ON 10/WED/01. I WAS STARTING AT ZZZ1 GOING TO ZZZ2. THEN FROM ZZZ2 TO ZZZ3. I WAS NOT GOING TO LAND AT ZZZ3. THEN FROM ZZZ3 TO ZZZ4. I PLANNED TO TUNE MY NAV2 RADIO TO ZZZ3 VOR; AND USE THE 035 DEG RADIAL AS MY SAFETY TO STAY CLR OF ZZZ. THEN FROM ZZZ4 TO ZZZ1. I DEPARTED ZZZ1 AT XA00 AM LOCAL TIME; FOR ZZZ2. I LEVELED OFF AT 2500 FT TO ALIGN MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I TURNED THE LORAN ON; AND AFTER IT WENT THROUGH ITS SEARCHING FUNCTION; I ATTEMPTED TO SELECT THE WAYPOINT ZZZ2. I COULDN'T GET THE WAYPOINT TO COME UP; SO I TURNED IT OFF TO TRY AGAIN. I CLIMBED TO 4500 FT AND ALIGNED MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I FORGOT TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN. MY FIRST CHECKPOINT WAS A COMMERCIAL PLANT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF MY R WING. IN FOUR MINS THE COMMERCIAL PLANT WAS OFF MY R WING. I ALIGNED MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. I TURNED THE LORAN BACK ON; I COULDN'T GET THE WAYPOINT TO COME UP; SO I TURNED IT OFF TO TRY AGAIN. MY SECOND CHKPOINT WAS ZZZ3 ARPT. ZZZ3 SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF MY L WING. I PUT ZZZ3 OFF MY L WING AND ALIGNED MY DG WITH MY COMPASS. IT WAS HAZY AND I COULD BARELY MAKE OUT THE MOUNTAINS. SINCE I WAS NOT SURE OF MY LOCATION; I DECIDED TO TRY THE LORAN AGAIN. I TURNED THE LORAN BACK ON AND SELECTED THE WAYPOINT ZZZ2 AND SET IT FOR NAV MODE. I CONTINUED TO FLY MY COURSE AND THE LORAN GAVE BEARING; BUT THE DISTANCE WAS GETTING GREATER. I KNEW THAT HDG COULD NOT BE THE BEARING TO ZZZ2. SINCE I WASN'T SURE OF HOW TO GET TO ZZZ2; AND AT THIS POINT I JUST WANTED TO BE ON THE GND; I DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE LORAN SO THAT I COULD FIND MY WAY BACK TO ZZZ1. I DESCENDED TO 3500 FT. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE I WAS UNTIL I SAW THE COMMERCIAL PLANT OFF MY L WING. THEN; I SAW ZZZ5 AND I CHANGED COURSE TO HEAD FOR ZZZ1. I CALLED ZZZ1 UNICOM AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS ONE MILE TO THE E AND WOULD BE ENTERING DOWNWIND. APPROX 200 FT FROM TOUCHDOWN; I SAW A JET FIGHTER OFF MY R WING. AT THAT POINT; I REALIZED THAT I MUST HAVE VIOLATED ZZZ RESTR AIRSPACE. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO THE FACT THAT: I WANTED THE PEACE OF MIND OF BEING DIRECTED BY THE LORAN; BUT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH ITS OPERATION. I COULD HAVE TAKEN CORRECTIVE ACTION AS FOLLOWS: AT THE POINT OF REACHING WHERE MY THIRD CHKPOINT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE; I COULD HAVE DONE A BIG CIRCLE TO THE L IN ORDER TO TRY TO FIND MY CHKPOINT. I COULD HAVE DETERMINED MY POSITION BY TUNING IN TWO VORS. I COULD HAVE CALLED FSS; TOLD THEM THAT I WAS A STUDENT PLT ON HIS LONG CROSS-COUNTRY; THAT I WAS LOST AND THAT I WANTED TO GET THE BEARING AND DISTANCE TO ZZZ2.