<< >> NASA ASRS Report 260738, January 1994

Pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft inadvertently made a left downwind traffic pattern instead of a right downwind pattern.

Attributes
ACN	260738
Time
Date	199401
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	260738
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had taken off from mmu on a ferry flight to cdw which is 10 mi to the ene. I called cdw tower and was told to report right downwind for runway 27. I made a left downwind to runway 27 and reported right downwind at first, then realizing my mistake, I corrected myself. My guess at why I made this mistake is because I got in the left seat as opposed to the right seat which I had became accustomed to sitting in. This seat change probably had a perception for me which caused this inadvertent error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT INADVERTENTLY MADE A L DOWNWIND TFC PATTERN INSTEAD OF A R DOWNWIND PATTERN.

Narrative: I HAD TAKEN OFF FROM MMU ON A FERRY FLT TO CDW WHICH IS 10 MI TO THE ENE. I CALLED CDW TWR AND WAS TOLD TO RPT R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27. I MADE A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 27 AND RPTED R DOWNWIND AT FIRST, THEN REALIZING MY MISTAKE, I CORRECTED MYSELF. MY GUESS AT WHY I MADE THIS MISTAKE IS BECAUSE I GOT IN THE L SEAT AS OPPOSED TO THE R SEAT WHICH I HAD BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO SITTING IN. THIS SEAT CHANGE PROBABLY HAD A PERCEPTION FOR ME WHICH CAUSED THIS INADVERTENT ERROR.

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.