Lost stories here

Danny Deger wrote:
Post your lost story here, so we can all laugh at them.


First night cross country during my PPL training. Flew from KFIT to
KPSM, just over 50 nautical. No problem on the way up there. The return
was the issue.

Departed 34 out of KPSM for the trip back. I had all my wind correction
angle computed for the winds aloft, I had my way points and my timing
down for all that dead reckoning / pilotage stuff we all learn. I knew I
had to fly a course like 238 deg or something like that. I climbed to
altitude, picked up flight following to KFIT and saw the friendly
welcoming lights of the Mt. Wachusett ski area, it being winter and all.
The ski area is just to the west of KFIT. The mountain is always a
friendly beacon to steer towards. So I promptly forgot everything I had
preplanned and flew towards the lights.

I looked down at my DG several times, steering 270 due west. Hmmm. My
planning must have been off. Fly fly fly. Hmmm, I couldn't have been off
by that much, but those *must* be the lights. fly fly fly. Approach
comes on the radio ... Cessna November two zero four confirm
destination. Fitchburg two zero four.

Cessna two zero four, turn 50 deg left to 220, direct to Fitchburg.
Hmmm, ok. "two zero four 50 left", turn turn turn. Oh, those lights.
Sheepish grin.

My CFI sez, "I wondered when you were going to figure that out."

I guess they must have been the lights of a highway going over the hills
in NH towards VT, route 12 I guess.

Lesson learned.

KC