Narrative:

On a heading of 166 degrees, my student arrived at the MDA for the VOR-a. We were instructed by tower to circle right for a right downwind for runway 14R. The VOR-a takes us over the threshold of runway 14R. Moments before we arrived over the threshold, tower cleared a C172 for departure on runway 14R. My student, already instrument rated and current, had removed the view limiting device prior to this and was controling the aircraft with visual references. Upon crossing the threshold of runway 14R, he began turning slightly to the left, aligning the aircraft with the runway centerline. My first thought was that he was positioning us for a wider circling approach. He then began another turn toward the east. At that point, I challenged his actions, stating that he should begin a turn right to a westerly heading. He was confused, but complied with my request. The tower asked if we had the departing traffic on runway 14R in sight. At that precise moment, we saw the C172 above us and to our left. We essentially passed underneath him going opposite direction. My student was still confused and again started turning left towards the east. I took control of the plane and turned back for a right downwind. When I reiterated that we had been cleared for a right downwind for runway 14R, he confessed that he was thinking runway 32L the entire time, which explains why he was attempting to turn eastbound when we crossed the threshold of runway 14R, rather than turning wbound. The landing was uneventful. Supplemental information from acn 604175: after flying 2 hours under the hood, and completing 5 approachs and holding, I returned to my home airport. I requested a VOR-a with a circle to runway 14. I was cleared with a right downwind to runway 14R. The hood was removed on short final. I saw runways (parallels) and turned left for a right downwind, however, I was disoriented. I was on right downwind for runway 32. When I realized it, I turned right across the end of runway 32L&right and turned to right downwind for runway 14R. A plane taking off from runway 14R passed in front and above me. I saw it and diverted below and behind. I completed the approach and landed. I believe my disorientation was caused by 2 hours under the hood with 5 approachs and a hold in quick succession, in a very busy class B airspace. Too much activity with not enough time to plan. In the future, I will plan to spread my recurrent training over several flts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLT HAD AN NMAC WITH A C172 AFTER THE STUDENT PLT TURNED THE ACFT TO CIRCLE TO RWY 32. THEY WERE CLRED TO CIRCLE TO RWY 14R.

Narrative: ON A HDG OF 166 DEGS, MY STUDENT ARRIVED AT THE MDA FOR THE VOR-A. WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO CIRCLE R FOR A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 14R. THE VOR-A TAKES US OVER THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 14R. MOMENTS BEFORE WE ARRIVED OVER THE THRESHOLD, TWR CLRED A C172 FOR DEP ON RWY 14R. MY STUDENT, ALREADY INST RATED AND CURRENT, HAD REMOVED THE VIEW LIMITING DEVICE PRIOR TO THIS AND WAS CTLING THE ACFT WITH VISUAL REFS. UPON XING THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 14R, HE BEGAN TURNING SLIGHTLY TO THE L, ALIGNING THE ACFT WITH THE RWY CTRLINE. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT HE WAS POSITIONING US FOR A WIDER CIRCLING APCH. HE THEN BEGAN ANOTHER TURN TOWARD THE E. AT THAT POINT, I CHALLENGED HIS ACTIONS, STATING THAT HE SHOULD BEGIN A TURN R TO A WESTERLY HDG. HE WAS CONFUSED, BUT COMPLIED WITH MY REQUEST. THE TWR ASKED IF WE HAD THE DEPARTING TFC ON RWY 14R IN SIGHT. AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT, WE SAW THE C172 ABOVE US AND TO OUR L. WE ESSENTIALLY PASSED UNDERNEATH HIM GOING OPPOSITE DIRECTION. MY STUDENT WAS STILL CONFUSED AND AGAIN STARTED TURNING L TOWARDS THE E. I TOOK CTL OF THE PLANE AND TURNED BACK FOR A R DOWNWIND. WHEN I REITERATED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 14R, HE CONFESSED THAT HE WAS THINKING RWY 32L THE ENTIRE TIME, WHICH EXPLAINS WHY HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN EBOUND WHEN WE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 14R, RATHER THAN TURNING WBOUND. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 604175: AFTER FLYING 2 HRS UNDER THE HOOD, AND COMPLETING 5 APCHS AND HOLDING, I RETURNED TO MY HOME ARPT. I REQUESTED A VOR-A WITH A CIRCLE TO RWY 14. I WAS CLRED WITH A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 14R. THE HOOD WAS REMOVED ON SHORT FINAL. I SAW RWYS (PARALLELS) AND TURNED L FOR A R DOWNWIND, HOWEVER, I WAS DISORIENTED. I WAS ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32. WHEN I REALIZED IT, I TURNED R ACROSS THE END OF RWY 32L&R AND TURNED TO R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 14R. A PLANE TAKING OFF FROM RWY 14R PASSED IN FRONT AND ABOVE ME. I SAW IT AND DIVERTED BELOW AND BEHIND. I COMPLETED THE APCH AND LANDED. I BELIEVE MY DISORIENTATION WAS CAUSED BY 2 HRS UNDER THE HOOD WITH 5 APCHS AND A HOLD IN QUICK SUCCESSION, IN A VERY BUSY CLASS B AIRSPACE. TOO MUCH ACTIVITY WITH NOT ENOUGH TIME TO PLAN. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PLAN TO SPREAD MY RECURRENT TRAINING OVER SEVERAL FLTS.

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.