Small aircraft turned wrong way in traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	107806
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 593 flight time type : 42
ASRS Report	107806
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On my initial contact with the tower for takeoff I requested to remain in the pattern for touch and goes. The problem arose when I was distracted by my passenger talking to me during the tower controller's takeoff clearance and permission to 'maintain right closed traffic approved.' a major contributing factor was my not repeated ATC's clearance back to the tower--a carryover from earlier communications training to minimize radio traffic. On the upwind climb out, upon reaching 400' AGL, I started a climbing left turn proceeding through about a 40-45 degree heading change. At this time I noted another aircraft about 1 mi west at pattern altitude entering on a straight in approach for left downwind. I quickly recognized that I had made an error by turning left instead of right. Lowering the nose somewhat to increase the airspeed, I then commenced a moderate right turn to enter the right downwind traffic pattern. At virtually the same instant the alert tower operator reissued the right closed traffic clearance to me. I believe that the oncoming aircraft had also started to alter his course slightly to his right. As the problem developed, I did not consider this a near miss situation since, in my estimate, the closest the approach came was not less than 500' vertical and about 2000' horizontal distance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TURNED WRONG WAY IN TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: ON MY INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE TWR FOR TKOF I REQUESTED TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN FOR TOUCH AND GOES. THE PROB AROSE WHEN I WAS DISTRACTED BY MY PAX TALKING TO ME DURING THE TWR CTLR'S TKOF CLRNC AND PERMISSION TO 'MAINTAIN RIGHT CLOSED TFC APPROVED.' A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY NOT REPEATED ATC'S CLRNC BACK TO THE TWR--A CARRYOVER FROM EARLIER COMS TRNING TO MINIMIZE RADIO TFC. ON THE UPWIND CLBOUT, UPON REACHING 400' AGL, I STARTED A CLBING LEFT TURN PROCEEDING THROUGH ABOUT A 40-45 DEG HDG CHANGE. AT THIS TIME I NOTED ANOTHER ACFT ABOUT 1 MI W AT PATTERN ALT ENTERING ON A STRAIGHT IN APCH FOR LEFT DOWNWIND. I QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THAT I HAD MADE AN ERROR BY TURNING LEFT INSTEAD OF RIGHT. LOWERING THE NOSE SOMEWHAT TO INCREASE THE AIRSPD, I THEN COMMENCED A MODERATE RIGHT TURN TO ENTER THE RIGHT DOWNWIND TFC PATTERN. AT VIRTUALLY THE SAME INSTANT THE ALERT TWR OPERATOR REISSUED THE RIGHT CLOSED TFC CLRNC TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE ONCOMING ACFT HAD ALSO STARTED TO ALTER HIS COURSE SLIGHTLY TO HIS RIGHT. AS THE PROB DEVELOPED, I DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A NEAR MISS SITUATION SINCE, IN MY ESTIMATE, THE CLOSEST THE APCH CAME WAS NOT LESS THAN 500' VERT AND ABOUT 2000' HORIZ DISTANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.