Pilot account of uncontrolled airport traffic pattern deviation.

Attributes
ACN	131405
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 1x4
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	131405
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I entered a right-hand downwind at 1000' AGL in preparation to check the surface of the sod runway to see if it was suitable for landing. The winds aloft were strong from the south and the runway was east and west. I was intending to fly the runway to the east. I evidently misjudged the strength of the crosswind component and did not fly my downwind leg for enough upwind of the runway. As I turned base I realized I would overshoot my base to final turn, so I steepened my bank to approximately 50 degrees, at which I then rolled out onto final at approximately 200' and flew the length of the runway and departed straight out. I chose not to land as there was a strong gusting crosswind at that time. I returned to lantana airport west/O event. Conclusions: by misjudging the winds aloft I ended up overbanking. Fortunately I was at a speed higher than approach speed so a stall was not in question--however by being faster and having a tailwind on base leg, all contributed to the overshoot situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ACCOUNT OF UNCONTROLLED ARPT TRAFFIC PATTERN DEVIATION.

Narrative: I ENTERED A RIGHT-HAND DOWNWIND AT 1000' AGL IN PREPARATION TO CHK THE SURFACE OF THE SOD RWY TO SEE IF IT WAS SUITABLE FOR LNDG. THE WINDS ALOFT WERE STRONG FROM THE S AND THE RWY WAS E AND W. I WAS INTENDING TO FLY THE RWY TO THE E. I EVIDENTLY MISJUDGED THE STRENGTH OF THE XWIND COMPONENT AND DID NOT FLY MY DOWNWIND LEG FOR ENOUGH UPWIND OF THE RWY. AS I TURNED BASE I REALIZED I WOULD OVERSHOOT MY BASE TO FINAL TURN, SO I STEEPENED MY BANK TO APPROX 50 DEGS, AT WHICH I THEN ROLLED OUT ONTO FINAL AT APPROX 200' AND FLEW THE LENGTH OF THE RWY AND DEPARTED STRAIGHT OUT. I CHOSE NOT TO LAND AS THERE WAS A STRONG GUSTING XWIND AT THAT TIME. I RETURNED TO LANTANA ARPT W/O EVENT. CONCLUSIONS: BY MISJUDGING THE WINDS ALOFT I ENDED UP OVERBANKING. FORTUNATELY I WAS AT A SPD HIGHER THAN APCH SPD SO A STALL WAS NOT IN QUESTION--HOWEVER BY BEING FASTER AND HAVING A TAILWIND ON BASE LEG, ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE OVERSHOOT SITUATION.

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.