Narrative:

The problem arose by me personally getting disoriented and entering the traffic pattern the wrong way. Instead of entering the left downwind for runway 19, I (by accident) extended the right downwind for runway 1. I should have reported at belmont lake and then the landfill and then enter it on a 45 degree, but instead I got all messed up and came in the wrong way. I discovered it as well as the tower. I did a 180 degree turn and got where I should have been in the first place. The problem was that inbound traffic in the pattern was coming the way I was headed. A plane had passed below and to the left about 40 ft away. I knew then and before what to do to correct it. The tower took a bit too long to respond to me because of all the traffic he was talking to, but when he finally did, he got me into my proper position. I got nervous when I figured out I was going the wrong way, but I tried to overcome it by calling the tower and telling them 'can I turn around?' I have learned a lot by this in that following the standard arrival procedures for frg airport are crucial and very important in flying in a safe manner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT ENTERED TFC PATTERN FOR WRONG RWY, HAD A NEAR MISS WITH ACFT FROM OPPOSITE DIRECTION, MADE A 180 DEG TURN IN COORD WITH TWR.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE BY ME PERSONALLY GETTING DISORIENTED AND ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN THE WRONG WAY. INSTEAD OF ENTERING THE L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19, I (BY ACCIDENT) EXTENDED THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 1. I SHOULD HAVE RPTED AT BELMONT LAKE AND THEN THE LANDFILL AND THEN ENTER IT ON A 45 DEG, BUT INSTEAD I GOT ALL MESSED UP AND CAME IN THE WRONG WAY. I DISCOVERED IT AS WELL AS THE TWR. I DID A 180 DEG TURN AND GOT WHERE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE PROB WAS THAT INBOUND TFC IN THE PATTERN WAS COMING THE WAY I WAS HEADED. A PLANE HAD PASSED BELOW AND TO THE L ABOUT 40 FT AWAY. I KNEW THEN AND BEFORE WHAT TO DO TO CORRECT IT. THE TWR TOOK A BIT TOO LONG TO RESPOND TO ME BECAUSE OF ALL THE TFC HE WAS TALKING TO, BUT WHEN HE FINALLY DID, HE GOT ME INTO MY PROPER POS. I GOT NERVOUS WHEN I FIGURED OUT I WAS GOING THE WRONG WAY, BUT I TRIED TO OVERCOME IT BY CALLING THE TWR AND TELLING THEM 'CAN I TURN AROUND?' I HAVE LEARNED A LOT BY THIS IN THAT FOLLOWING THE STANDARD ARR PROCS FOR FRG ARPT ARE CRUCIAL AND VERY IMPORTANT IN FLYING IN A SAFE MANNER.

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.