Narrative:

On my initial contact with the tower for takeoff I requested to remain in the pattern for touch and goes. The problem arose when I was distracted by my passenger talking to me during the tower controller's takeoff clearance and permission to 'maintain right closed traffic approved.' a major contributing factor was my not repeated ATC's clearance back to the tower--a carryover from earlier communications training to minimize radio traffic. On the upwind climb out, upon reaching 400' AGL, I started a climbing left turn proceeding through about a 40-45 degree heading change. At this time I noted another aircraft about 1 mi west at pattern altitude entering on a straight in approach for left downwind. I quickly recognized that I had made an error by turning left instead of right. Lowering the nose somewhat to increase the airspeed, I then commenced a moderate right turn to enter the right downwind traffic pattern. At virtually the same instant the alert tower operator reissued the right closed traffic clearance to me. I believe that the oncoming aircraft had also started to alter his course slightly to his right. As the problem developed, I did not consider this a near miss situation since, in my estimate, the closest the approach came was not less than 500' vertical and about 2000' horizontal distance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TURNED WRONG WAY IN TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: ON MY INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE TWR FOR TKOF I REQUESTED TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN FOR TOUCH AND GOES. THE PROB AROSE WHEN I WAS DISTRACTED BY MY PAX TALKING TO ME DURING THE TWR CTLR'S TKOF CLRNC AND PERMISSION TO 'MAINTAIN RIGHT CLOSED TFC APPROVED.' A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY NOT REPEATED ATC'S CLRNC BACK TO THE TWR--A CARRYOVER FROM EARLIER COMS TRNING TO MINIMIZE RADIO TFC. ON THE UPWIND CLBOUT, UPON REACHING 400' AGL, I STARTED A CLBING LEFT TURN PROCEEDING THROUGH ABOUT A 40-45 DEG HDG CHANGE. AT THIS TIME I NOTED ANOTHER ACFT ABOUT 1 MI W AT PATTERN ALT ENTERING ON A STRAIGHT IN APCH FOR LEFT DOWNWIND. I QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THAT I HAD MADE AN ERROR BY TURNING LEFT INSTEAD OF RIGHT. LOWERING THE NOSE SOMEWHAT TO INCREASE THE AIRSPD, I THEN COMMENCED A MODERATE RIGHT TURN TO ENTER THE RIGHT DOWNWIND TFC PATTERN. AT VIRTUALLY THE SAME INSTANT THE ALERT TWR OPERATOR REISSUED THE RIGHT CLOSED TFC CLRNC TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE ONCOMING ACFT HAD ALSO STARTED TO ALTER HIS COURSE SLIGHTLY TO HIS RIGHT. AS THE PROB DEVELOPED, I DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A NEAR MISS SITUATION SINCE, IN MY ESTIMATE, THE CLOSEST THE APCH CAME WAS NOT LESS THAN 500' VERT AND ABOUT 2000' HORIZ DISTANCE.

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.