C172 PILOT BECOMES LOST ON CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND FLIES THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHEN LOW FUEL LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH PILOT LANDS FAST AT FIRST AVAILABLE ARPT AND GOES OFF RWY.

2008-07 · NASA ASRS report 796255

Date: 2008-07 · Aircraft: Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: airspace-violation-all-types|deviation-speed-all-types|deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|ground-excursion-runway

Synopsis

C172 PILOT BECOMES LOST ON CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND FLIES THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE. WHEN LOW FUEL LIGHT BEGINS TO FLASH PILOT LANDS FAST AT FIRST AVAILABLE ARPT AND GOES OFF RWY.

Narrative

I WAS RETURNING FROM ZZZ. ON THE WAY BACK FROM ZZZ; I REALIZED THAT I WAS OVER ZZZ1 INTL ARPT AND KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I LOOKED THROUGH THE L AND R WINDOWS FOR TFC AND REALIZED THAT I HAD PROBABLY GOTTEN OFF COURSE. I CONTACTED ZZZ2 TWR; STATED MY POS AND ADVISED THEM THAT I BELIEVED I WAS NEAR THE ZZZ1 INTL ARPT. TWR ADVISED ME TO FLY HDG 290 DEGS; SO I DID AS THEY INSTRUCTED. I CONTACTED TWR AGAIN TO LET THEM KNOW THAT MY LOW FUEL LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THEY THEN TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 7700; SO I DID. TWR THEN ASKED IF I THOUGHT I HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE IT TO ZZZ2 AND I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD TRY. AFTER THE LOW FUEL LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLASH A NUMBER OF TIMES; I CONTACTED ZZZ2 TWR AGAIN. TWR ADVISED ME TO LAND AT ZZZ3; BUT THE FIRST ARPT I SAW WAS ZZZ4. I DECIDED TO LAND AT ZZZ4 ARPT SO THAT I COULD REFUEL. I THEN CALLED MY SCHOOL AND THEY SENT AN INSTRUCTOR TO FLY BACK WITH ME. WHEN LNDG AT THE ZZZ4 ARPT; I LANDED TOO FAST AND I SKIDDED OFF ONTO THE GRASS. AFTER TAXIING TO THE RAMP FOR HELP; I WAS ASKED TO CONTACT ZZZ1 TWR; SO I DID. THE TWR THEN ASKED ME FOR MY ADDRESS AND EXPLAINED TO ME THAT I BUSTED THEIR AIRSPACE. I NOW REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ALWAYS USING FLT FOLLOWING. I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT MY DISORIENTATION HAS CREATED PROBS; NOT ONLY FOR ME; BUT FOR OTHERS AS WELL. I WILL BE TAKING SOME REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION ON NAV IN AND AROUND CLASS B AIRSPACE SO AS NOT TO REPEAT THIS PROB IN THE FUTURE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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