Narrative:

Returning on 105 degree heading at 2500 ft, checked ATIS and reported to tower 12 mi west with ATIS and landing. Tower instructed 'report right base runway 32.' thought right unusual, expected left, but acknowledged right base runway 32. ATIS gave wind 230 degrees at 7, WX, nice day. My first mistake was to accept right traffic runway 32 -- instead I should have requested left traffic runway 32 (convenient to my refueling). At 4 mi out, tower asked me to identify. He really thought he had instructed left, thus I was out of position. He said 'report abeam field.' I reported off end of runway 14 and requested land runway 14. Negative. I kept going -- actually on right downwind runway 27. I reported right base 27 and landed runway 27. No incident, except an unhappy tower. What was I doing on runway 27? I asked for talk on ground at tower. We did have good discussion. He said he initially instructed left traffic runway 32L -- they always do for 'west' traffic. Then when I was off end of runway 14, he wanted me to go right downwind for runway 32. Even though part of his air talk had been he didn't want me flying over the middle of the field! I thought he had agreed to my right downwind on runway 27. He denied that. We did have a good discussion. I learned: after all of these yrs why they issue 'base' rather than 'downwind' and that 'west' always gets left base runway 32. I learned again: pay attention -- something strange must be questioned promptly. Better make him repeat, than possibly cause real trouble.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT CONFUSED ABOUT TFC PATTERN AND RWY ASSIGNMENT LANDS ON WRONG RWY WITHOUT CLRNC AT HIS HOME BASE.

Narrative: RETURNING ON 105 DEG HDG AT 2500 FT, CHKED ATIS AND RPTED TO TWR 12 MI W WITH ATIS AND LNDG. TWR INSTRUCTED 'RPT R BASE RWY 32.' THOUGHT R UNUSUAL, EXPECTED L, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED R BASE RWY 32. ATIS GAVE WIND 230 DEGS AT 7, WX, NICE DAY. MY FIRST MISTAKE WAS TO ACCEPT R TFC RWY 32 -- INSTEAD I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED L TFC RWY 32 (CONVENIENT TO MY REFUELING). AT 4 MI OUT, TWR ASKED ME TO IDENT. HE REALLY THOUGHT HE HAD INSTRUCTED L, THUS I WAS OUT OF POS. HE SAID 'RPT ABEAM FIELD.' I RPTED OFF END OF RWY 14 AND REQUESTED LAND RWY 14. NEGATIVE. I KEPT GOING -- ACTUALLY ON R DOWNWIND RWY 27. I RPTED R BASE 27 AND LANDED RWY 27. NO INCIDENT, EXCEPT AN UNHAPPY TWR. WHAT WAS I DOING ON RWY 27? I ASKED FOR TALK ON GND AT TWR. WE DID HAVE GOOD DISCUSSION. HE SAID HE INITIALLY INSTRUCTED L TFC RWY 32L -- THEY ALWAYS DO FOR 'W' TFC. THEN WHEN I WAS OFF END OF RWY 14, HE WANTED ME TO GO R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32. EVEN THOUGH PART OF HIS AIR TALK HAD BEEN HE DIDN'T WANT ME FLYING OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD! I THOUGHT HE HAD AGREED TO MY R DOWNWIND ON RWY 27. HE DENIED THAT. WE DID HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION. I LEARNED: AFTER ALL OF THESE YRS WHY THEY ISSUE 'BASE' RATHER THAN 'DOWNWIND' AND THAT 'W' ALWAYS GETS L BASE RWY 32. I LEARNED AGAIN: PAY ATTN -- SOMETHING STRANGE MUST BE QUESTIONED PROMPTLY. BETTER MAKE HIM REPEAT, THAN POSSIBLY CAUSE REAL TROUBLE.

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.