What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: student pilot was dispatched on a solo cross-country from vny to apv. CFI checked students flight planning which included weather reports, dead reckoning preparation pilotage preparation. Student traced his trip to approximately 10 miles west of his destination when he became "displaced". Student called ral afss for help. Adf steer was provided to student, but when the student saw what he thought was an airport he descended, lost radio contact, then discovered that what he thought was an airport were ruts in the desert. Student then called lax center while squawking 7700 but was too low for radar contact. Student wandered about for the next two hours until he ran out of fuel. Student made an uneventful landing on California route 95, more than 100 miles east of his intended destination. Student's CFI was reexamined under 49 CFR section 44709. This incident is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: STUDENT PILOT WAS DISPATCHED ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FROM VNY TO APV. CFI CHECKED STUDENTS FLIGHT PLANNING WHICH INCLUDED WEATHER REPORTS, DEAD RECKONING PREPARATION PILOTAGE PREPARATION. STUDENT TRACED HIS TRIP TO APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES WEST OF HIS DESTINATION WHEN HE BECAME "DISPLACED". STUDENT CALLED RAL AFSS FOR HELP. ADF STEER WAS PROVIDED TO STUDENT, BUT WHEN THE STUDENT SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS AN AIRPORT HE DESCENDED, LOST RADIO CONTACT, THEN DISCOVERED THAT WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS AN AIRPORT WERE RUTS IN THE DESERT. STUDENT THEN CALLED LAX CENTER WHILE SQUAWKING 7700 BUT WAS TOO LOW FOR RADAR CONTACT. STUDENT WANDERED ABOUT FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS UNTIL HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. STUDENT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING ON CALIFORNIA ROUTE 95, MORE THAN 100 MILES EAST OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. STUDENT'S CFI WAS REEXAMINED UNDER 49 CFR SECTION 44709. THIS INCIDENT IS CLOSED.
Other reports on N25378 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.