Where do I start? I could probably write a series of these!
A few weeks after getting my PPL(A) I decided to fly from Welshpool to Oxford to meet a friend for lunch. I planned it meticulously, intending to fly out directly over the hills, but come back via Telford to avoid the high ground just in case the weather got worse - it was early December after all, although the forecast looked good.
I got to Oxford with no problems, but when I came to leave things went wrong from the start. I couldn't find my way to the runway, it was crowded and I was holding everyone up, and by the time I took off I was quite frazzled. Which is probably why a few minutes later I realised I wasn't sure where I was. Never mind, I thought, just carry on, I'll recognise something soon. But I didn't, and was so busy looking at the ground I didn't realise that the vis was getting worse or that time was passing. Finally I realised over half an hour had passed and I could be near Birmingham, and despite a typical new pilot's phobia of the radio I called London Information and said I was "unsure of my position". But when they couldn't find me on their radar and told me to call D & D, I finally appreciated the situation and stopped farting about; I switched to 121.5, squawked 7700, and said I was lost!
D & D came back in about 20 seconds: "G-BNEK; you're three miles south of Birmingham Airport; can you call them on..." As I switched to Birmingham, I remember thinking, quite calmly: "Oh, **** , they'll kill me!"
They didn't. They were calm, professional, and very kind; especially once they realised how inexperienced I was and that the vis was now just about down to VMC limits. They suggested I land at Halfpenny Green, still within their radar cover, but when I refused they directed me to the M54 so I could follow it home. Further west was clearer; Welshpool was in bright sunshine and wondering why they'd had so few visitors.
What did I learn?
1) Check more than one weather forecast, including regional ones.
2) If you get upset by something, orbit or something till you calm down.
3) Tell someone you're lost sooner rather than later.
I also went out and bought a GPS the following week!
Oh, and you can make money from your mistakes; this one should be appearing in a longer form at some point in Pilot's "I learned about flying from that" series - and they've paid me already.