Entered traffic pattern for wrong runway.

Attributes
ACN	101378
Time
Date	198901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : arr
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : arr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	101378
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Today, 1/89, I was saved from an embarrassing incident by the helpful controller at arrival. I was approaching the airfield from the southeast and was cleared to land on runway 27 and to enter and report a left base. I had it in my mind that I would be landing on runway 9. From my position, landing on runway 9 would be either a right downwind entry or a right base entry and I noted this to the controller and I was once again cleared to land. When it became obvious to the controller that I was entering the downwind for runway 9, he mentioned that fact and I finally realized my error. 5 yrs ago I would not have given this incident a second thought. However, with all of the publicity about FAA enforcement, any kind of incident makes me uneasy. My perception of how the ATC system should work is for it to be a team effort between the pilots and the controllers. It scares me in that at this point in time, it appears that more of an adversarial relationship is starting to develop, instead of a team effort. This can't be good for either group or for the millions who travel by air every year. A lot has been written in aviation related magazines lately about this topic. The point of view is usually from the cockpit. I would be interested in the attitudes and perceptions of the controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENTERED TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR WRONG RWY.

Narrative: TODAY, 1/89, I WAS SAVED FROM AN EMBARRASSING INCIDENT BY THE HELPFUL CTLR AT ARR. I WAS APCHING THE AIRFIELD FROM THE SE AND WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 27 AND TO ENTER AND RPT A LEFT BASE. I HAD IT IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD BE LNDG ON RWY 9. FROM MY POS, LNDG ON RWY 9 WOULD BE EITHER A RIGHT DOWNWIND ENTRY OR A RIGHT BASE ENTRY AND I NOTED THIS TO THE CTLR AND I WAS ONCE AGAIN CLRED TO LAND. WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS ENTERING THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9, HE MENTIONED THAT FACT AND I FINALLY REALIZED MY ERROR. 5 YRS AGO I WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN THIS INCIDENT A SECOND THOUGHT. HOWEVER, WITH ALL OF THE PUBLICITY ABOUT FAA ENFORCEMENT, ANY KIND OF INCIDENT MAKES ME UNEASY. MY PERCEPTION OF HOW THE ATC SYS SHOULD WORK IS FOR IT TO BE A TEAM EFFORT BTWN THE PLTS AND THE CTLRS. IT SCARES ME IN THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT APPEARS THAT MORE OF AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP IS STARTING TO DEVELOP, INSTEAD OF A TEAM EFFORT. THIS CAN'T BE GOOD FOR EITHER GROUP OR FOR THE MILLIONS WHO TRAVEL BY AIR EVERY YEAR. A LOT HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN AVIATION RELATED MAGAZINES LATELY ABOUT THIS TOPIC. THE POINT OF VIEW IS USUALLY FROM THE COCKPIT. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE CTLRS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.