Narrative:

While on a routine training flight with a first flight student, I was instructing student on correct procedures and the 'sight picture' of a standard left-hand traffic pattern at an uncontrolled airport. My attention to the aircraft's orientation was distracted by instruction given to the student in basic dscnts and altitude control also. While turning downwind to base, I was again pointing out the correct 'sight picture' while dividing time between inside and outside the cockpit. Other aircraft were seen by myself, pointing them out to the student, but they appeared to be just transiting the area to the south and not involved with the landing pattern (they were traveling west to east). As the aircraft was aligned with the runway, I saw an aircraft on takeoff roll (single engine) then noticed we were aligned with runway 4 instead of runway 22. I broke off the approach and departed the pattern. We had been monitoring the correct unicom frequency (122.8). In an effort to use as much of the instructional time for hands on training as possible, I had lost situational awareness of the aircraft's heading and position relative to the runway in use. Although there was no extreme evasive action required--the possibility is obvious--there is no excuse for losing the big picture. Fly the airplane, then instruct. Don't allow distrs to distract you from safe operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LINES UP WITH WRONG RWY AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE ON A ROUTINE TRNING FLT WITH A FIRST FLT STUDENT, I WAS INSTRUCTING STUDENT ON CORRECT PROCS AND THE 'SIGHT PICTURE' OF A STANDARD LEFT-HAND TFC PATTERN AT AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT. MY ATTN TO THE ACFT'S ORIENTATION WAS DISTRACTED BY INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO THE STUDENT IN BASIC DSCNTS AND ALT CONTROL ALSO. WHILE TURNING DOWNWIND TO BASE, I WAS AGAIN POINTING OUT THE CORRECT 'SIGHT PICTURE' WHILE DIVIDING TIME BTWN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT. OTHER ACFT WERE SEEN BY MYSELF, POINTING THEM OUT TO THE STUDENT, BUT THEY APPEARED TO BE JUST TRANSITING THE AREA TO THE S AND NOT INVOLVED WITH THE LNDG PATTERN (THEY WERE TRAVELING W TO E). AS THE ACFT WAS ALIGNED WITH THE RWY, I SAW AN ACFT ON TKOF ROLL (SINGLE ENG) THEN NOTICED WE WERE ALIGNED WITH RWY 4 INSTEAD OF RWY 22. I BROKE OFF THE APCH AND DEPARTED THE PATTERN. WE HAD BEEN MONITORING THE CORRECT UNICOM FREQ (122.8). IN AN EFFORT TO USE AS MUCH OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME FOR HANDS ON TRNING AS POSSIBLE, I HAD LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE ACFT'S HDG AND POS RELATIVE TO THE RWY IN USE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO EXTREME EVASIVE ACTION REQUIRED--THE POSSIBILITY IS OBVIOUS--THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LOSING THE BIG PICTURE. FLY THE AIRPLANE, THEN INSTRUCT. DON'T ALLOW DISTRS TO DISTRACT YOU FROM SAFE OPERATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.