Reporter flew a right hand base leg, against traffic, at newport, ri.

Attributes
ACN	147032
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 2b4 airport : b24
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	147032
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had departed newport maybe 30 mins earlier on runway 16 which was determined to be active at the time because of it being used by other aircraft (not by an airport advisory by unicom). Returning from pud at the above estimated time my direction of flight had me aligned with final for runway 16. Although, upon calling unicom for an airport advisory, I was advised of wind direction and runway 22 being active. Observing no other traffic in the area, I excuted a left turn for right base for runway 22. I realize the ultimate responsibility of the PIC to be familiar with all aspects of the flight, including traffic patterns at uncontrolled airports but, I also feel that it may be helpful to prevent this type of occurrence, by insisting that the unicom operator give more complete airport advisories including direction of traffic for the runway in use. Especially at times when there is no traffic in the pattern. Being unfamiliar to an area, and having 'get-there-itis' are factors that can add up to disaster. Fortunately this didn't happen here, but both the pilot and the unicom operator should be more careful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER FLEW A RIGHT HAND BASE LEG, AGAINST TRAFFIC, AT NEWPORT, RI.

Narrative: I HAD DEPARTED NEWPORT MAYBE 30 MINS EARLIER ON RWY 16 WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO BE ACTIVE AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF IT BEING USED BY OTHER ACFT (NOT BY AN ARPT ADVISORY BY UNICOM). RETURNING FROM PUD AT THE ABOVE ESTIMATED TIME MY DIRECTION OF FLT HAD ME ALIGNED WITH FINAL FOR RWY 16. ALTHOUGH, UPON CALLING UNICOM FOR AN ARPT ADVISORY, I WAS ADVISED OF WIND DIRECTION AND RWY 22 BEING ACTIVE. OBSERVING NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA, I EXCUTED A L TURN FOR R BASE FOR RWY 22. I REALIZE THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PIC TO BE FAMILIAR WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE FLT, INCLUDING TFC PATTERNS AT UNCTLED ARPTS BUT, I ALSO FEEL THAT IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE, BY INSISTING THAT THE UNICOM OPERATOR GIVE MORE COMPLETE ARPT ADVISORIES INCLUDING DIRECTION OF TFC FOR THE RWY IN USE. ESPECIALLY AT TIMES WHEN THERE IS NO TFC IN THE PATTERN. BEING UNFAMILIAR TO AN AREA, AND HAVING 'GET-THERE-ITIS' ARE FACTORS THAT CAN ADD UP TO DISASTER. FORTUNATELY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN HERE, BUT BOTH THE PLT AND THE UNICOM OPERATOR SHOULD BE MORE CAREFUL.

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.