A student pilot reported making multiple left hand closed pattern approaches but was then told to ma...

Narrative:

This was a solo practice flight in the traffic pattern. I was practicing stop and go landings. I completed pre-flight start up and all pre-flight checklists. I was cleared to taxi runway 15 and it was uneventful. I was given takeoff clearance and told to make right hand traffic. I completed the pattern; and after one stop and go; I requested to make left hand traffic because it is more comfortable to me. This was request was granted by ATC. I completed four more patterns making left traffic. On the sixth takeoff; I continued to make left traffic. After reviewing the tapes; I was made aware that ATC said to make right traffic; and I acknowledged it. I am not sure why I made left traffic; it may have been because I am a student and I was too focused on my flying and was in a left hand traffic routine. The right traffic order did not sink in. I assure you that it was not to disobey orders. I completed the sixth pattern without complaint from ATC. I received clearance to land with the option and was never instructed which hand traffic to make. I continued to make left hand traffic without complaint from ATC on my seventh pattern. Unbeknownst to me; a near miss occurred while in this pattern. I received clearance to land and because it began to rain; I decided that it would be my last pattern. In route of taxing to hangar; ATC requested that I call them because there was an occurrence. After contacting ATC; I was made aware of the near miss. I understand that I made a mistake on the sixth pattern by not making right traffic. From this I have learned a life lesson and received additional education from my instructor. I strongly believe that because of this event; a situation like this will never happen again. I believe that people are human and make mistakes; and from these mistakes the greatest lessons are learned. I ask for your forgiveness; I have learned from this mistake; and I assure you that this will not happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A student pilot reported making multiple left hand closed pattern approaches but was then told to make right traffic. After he failed to turn right downwind ATC notified the Pilot of a near miss.

Narrative: This was a solo practice flight in the traffic pattern. I was practicing stop and go landings. I completed pre-flight start up and all pre-flight checklists. I was cleared to taxi runway 15 and it was uneventful. I was given takeoff clearance and told to make right hand traffic. I completed the pattern; and after one stop and go; I requested to make left hand traffic because it is more comfortable to me. This was request was granted by ATC. I completed four more patterns making left traffic. On the sixth takeoff; I continued to make left traffic. After reviewing the tapes; I was made aware that ATC said to make right traffic; and I acknowledged it. I am not sure why I made left traffic; it may have been because I am a student and I was too focused on my flying and was in a left hand traffic routine. The right traffic order did not sink in. I assure you that it was not to disobey orders. I completed the sixth pattern without complaint from ATC. I received clearance to land with the option and was never instructed which hand traffic to make. I continued to make left hand traffic without complaint from ATC on my seventh pattern. Unbeknownst to me; a near miss occurred while in this pattern. I received clearance to land and because it began to rain; I decided that it would be my last pattern. In route of taxing to hangar; ATC requested that I call them because there was an occurrence. After contacting ATC; I was made aware of the near miss. I understand that I made a mistake on the sixth pattern by not making right traffic. From this I have learned a life lesson and received additional education from my instructor. I strongly believe that because of this event; a situation like this will never happen again. I believe that people are human and make mistakes; and from these mistakes the greatest lessons are learned. I ask for your forgiveness; I have learned from this mistake; and I assure you that this will not happen again.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1323700
Time
Date	201601
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Student
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15.5 Flight Crew Total 41.4 Flight Crew Type 41.4
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

A student pilot reported making multiple left hand closed pattern approaches but was then told to make right traffic. After he failed to turn right downwind ATC notified the pilot of a near miss.