Narrative:

I do not believe any far's were violated at a uncontrolled airport, however stupidity rule. Events brought on by: 1) little flying experience in 3 months (a total 1.5 hours). 2) complacence because I have flown into trout range airport so many times. 3) personal stress compounded by 'I gotta go' syndrome. Aircraft needed to go to annual before bad WX. As a safety counselor I had expounded on the fact the day before. I approached airport and received advisory of favored runway was 8. Planned entry downwind left-hand pattern, mid-course, a high wing. I was flying a low. Started broadcasting position on approach to 17. My brain started looking for right-hand entry on 8. Thinking the pilot had miss-called runway. Not where I expect. Fortunately he had me in sight and was able to amend by my holding a higher than normal altitude. I would recommend always using 17. It penetrates terrain better. I am recommending a new checklist for pilots who hav not flown recently. Treat each flight like first x-country. Review all information. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states second pilot used 17 instead of 1-7 as runway for his approach. All she heard was '7,' and was confused for lack of runway 7. Claims most confusing at this airport as pilots often use right-hand traffic pattern instead of left.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT EXPERIENCES CONFUSION IN TRAFFIC PATTERN REGARDING OTHER TRAFFIC POSITION.

Narrative: I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY FAR'S WERE VIOLATED AT A UNCONTROLLED ARPT, HOWEVER STUPIDITY RULE. EVENTS BROUGHT ON BY: 1) LITTLE FLYING EXPERIENCE IN 3 MONTHS (A TOTAL 1.5 HRS). 2) COMPLACENCE BECAUSE I HAVE FLOWN INTO TROUT RANGE ARPT SO MANY TIMES. 3) PERSONAL STRESS COMPOUNDED BY 'I GOTTA GO' SYNDROME. ACFT NEEDED TO GO TO ANNUAL BEFORE BAD WX. AS A SAFETY COUNSELOR I HAD EXPOUNDED ON THE FACT THE DAY BEFORE. I APCHED ARPT AND RECEIVED ADVISORY OF FAVORED RWY WAS 8. PLANNED ENTRY DOWNWIND LEFT-HAND PATTERN, MID-COURSE, A HIGH WING. I WAS FLYING A LOW. STARTED BROADCASTING POS ON APCH TO 17. MY BRAIN STARTED LOOKING FOR RIGHT-HAND ENTRY ON 8. THINKING THE PLT HAD MISS-CALLED RWY. NOT WHERE I EXPECT. FORTUNATELY HE HAD ME IN SIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO AMEND BY MY HOLDING A HIGHER THAN NORMAL ALT. I WOULD RECOMMEND ALWAYS USING 17. IT PENETRATES TERRAIN BETTER. I AM RECOMMENDING A NEW CHKLIST FOR PLTS WHO HAV NOT FLOWN RECENTLY. TREAT EACH FLT LIKE FIRST X-COUNTRY. REVIEW ALL INFO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES SECOND PLT USED 17 INSTEAD OF 1-7 AS RWY FOR HIS APCH. ALL SHE HEARD WAS '7,' AND WAS CONFUSED FOR LACK OF RWY 7. CLAIMS MOST CONFUSING AT THIS ARPT AS PLTS OFTEN USE RIGHT-HAND TFC PATTERN INSTEAD OF LEFT.

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.