Narrative:

Reported my position to lbe tower as 10 NM northeast of the airport and requested a straight in approach to runway 23. As directed, I next reported 4 NM northeast of airport and was cleared to land. The airport beacon was in sight but I had difficulty identing and orienting myself to the runway. I announced to the tower that I was making a 360 degree left turn. Upon completion of the turn, I was again cleared to land. By that time I realized I was nnw of the airport, not northeast. The approach and landing proceeded normally. I did not give the tower an opportunity to authorize the 360 degree turn before I began it nor did I give a corrected position report. Although this air traffic area is not a high traffic area, I was unable to contact the tower, when I thought I needed to take action, because the tower was engaged in other communications. I thought I needed to take immediate action because I knew there was an aircraft on a right downwind to the same runway. I saw this aircraft above, ahead and further west of me when I began the turn. Upon completion of the turn it had passed behind. I do not believe we were in a near, close or conflict situation. I knew there were no other aircraft on the final approach or on a base leg. Correction action to prevent recurrence will be to work to improve my navigation ability and position awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISORIENTED PLT MISSTATES HIS POS AND ENTERS TFC PATTERN FROM THE NNW INSTEAD OF THE NE.

Narrative: RPTED MY POS TO LBE TWR AS 10 NM NE OF THE ARPT AND REQUESTED A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 23. AS DIRECTED, I NEXT RPTED 4 NM NE OF ARPT AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. THE ARPT BEACON WAS IN SIGHT BUT I HAD DIFFICULTY IDENTING AND ORIENTING MYSELF TO THE RWY. I ANNOUNCED TO THE TWR THAT I WAS MAKING A 360 DEG L TURN. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TURN, I WAS AGAIN CLRED TO LAND. BY THAT TIME I REALIZED I WAS NNW OF THE ARPT, NOT NE. THE APCH AND LNDG PROCEEDED NORMALLY. I DID NOT GIVE THE TWR AN OPPORTUNITY TO AUTHORIZE THE 360 DEG TURN BEFORE I BEGAN IT NOR DID I GIVE A CORRECTED POS RPT. ALTHOUGH THIS ATA IS NOT A HIGH TFC AREA, I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE TWR, WHEN I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO TAKE ACTION, BECAUSE THE TWR WAS ENGAGED IN OTHER COMS. I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION BECAUSE I KNEW THERE WAS AN ACFT ON A R DOWNWIND TO THE SAME RWY. I SAW THIS ACFT ABOVE, AHEAD AND FURTHER W OF ME WHEN I BEGAN THE TURN. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TURN IT HAD PASSED BEHIND. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE WERE IN A NEAR, CLOSE OR CONFLICT SITUATION. I KNEW THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT ON THE FINAL APCH OR ON A BASE LEG. CORRECTION ACTION TO PREVENT RECURRENCE WILL BE TO WORK TO IMPROVE MY NAV ABILITY AND POS AWARENESS.

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.