LOST C150 STUDENT PLT LANDED AT WRONG ARPT IN LOW FUEL STATE.
Synopsis
LOST C150 STUDENT PLT LANDED AT WRONG ARPT IN LOW FUEL STATE.
Narrative
I WAS CONDUCTING A SOLO XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT TO LONGVIEW; TX; TO NATCHITOCHES LA. I BECAME DISORIENTED ON THE LONGVIEW TO NATCHITOCHES LEG OF THE FLT. I FOUND AN ARPT AND WAS FORCED TO LAND BECAUSE OF CRITICAL FUEL CONSIDERATIONS. THE ARPT WAS ALEXANDRIA INTL (AEX). I DID NOT CONTACT THE TWR BEFORE LNDG AS I DID NOT NOW WHICH ARPT IT WAS; AND THERE WERE NO ARPT MARINGS TO IDENT THE ARPT PRIOR TO LNDG. CALLBAC CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PLT FELT ADEQUATELY PREPARED BY HIS INSTRUCTOR AND HIS OWN PREFLT PLANNING. THE MAJOR FACTOR WAS THE LAC OF RTE TERRAIN FEATURES AND THE WIND EFFECT ON HIS TRAC. HE SIMPLY GOT LOST. HE DID NOT NOW WHAT ARPT HE WAS AT WHEN HIS LOW FUEL STATE MANDATED THAT HE LAND QUICLY. I ASED IF SECURITY MET HIM UPON LNDG. HE SAID THAT INITIALLY HE TAXIED TO A MAINT FBO TO FIND OUT THE ARPT LOCATION. THE GND CREW THOUGHT HIS SIT WAS COMIC AND COMMENTED IT HAPPENED FREQUENTLY. WHEN HE TAXIED TO THE FUEL PIT; SECURITY DID APCH HIM TO DETERMINE HIS IDENT AND BUSINESS. HE WAS NOT DETAINED. HE DID NOT GET ANY COMMENT FROM THE LCL CTLRS AT THE ARPT EITHER UPON LNDG OR DEP.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.