Narrative:

The second radio communication problem was as I entered the airspace at ash (controled). The runway almost always in use at ash is runway 32. The controllers run both right and left traffic, usually only depending on the arrival direction of the aircraft. The runway in use on this day, however, was 14. When I called the tower, I was advised to make a left downwind entry to runway 14 pattern. The problem came because I was arriving from the south. Normally, planes from the south approach area are put into either a left approach to runway 32 or right approach to runway 14. I am based at ash, so I have this preconception built up that if I come from the south, a left approach is what I end up hearing, because every other time it is what I hear. Fortunately, there were no other planes in the pattern and only 1 plane on a 4 mi localizer approach to runway 14, so the controller, seeing me come to the downwind and turning left, very nicely informed me that I had turned left downwind for 32 and not left downwind for 14. He had me turn 180 degrees and make a right downwind for 14, which is what I had expected I would do from the south. The problem arose due to my failure to listen beyond my preconceived ideas about what to expect form control, and then my failure to think of what was right in front of my face on the dg and compass--that I was flying 140 degrees to land on runway 14. Of course it made sense I was wrong afterward, but I still can't figure out how I fell so easily into that type of a mental trap. The solution is to try to consciously make all of what is said, rather than reading everything in a message from one small portion; i.e., not following expectations every time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WRONG RWY APCH.

Narrative: THE SECOND RADIO COM PROB WAS AS I ENTERED THE AIRSPACE AT ASH (CTLED). THE RWY ALMOST ALWAYS IN USE AT ASH IS RWY 32. THE CTLRS RUN BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT TFC, USUALLY ONLY DEPENDING ON THE ARR DIRECTION OF THE ACFT. THE RWY IN USE ON THIS DAY, HOWEVER, WAS 14. WHEN I CALLED THE TWR, I WAS ADVISED TO MAKE A LEFT DOWNWIND ENTRY TO RWY 14 PATTERN. THE PROB CAME BECAUSE I WAS ARRIVING FROM THE S. NORMALLY, PLANES FROM THE S APCH AREA ARE PUT INTO EITHER A LEFT APCH TO RWY 32 OR RIGHT APCH TO RWY 14. I AM BASED AT ASH, SO I HAVE THIS PRECONCEPTION BUILT UP THAT IF I COME FROM THE S, A LEFT APCH IS WHAT I END UP HEARING, BECAUSE EVERY OTHER TIME IT IS WHAT I HEAR. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER PLANES IN THE PATTERN AND ONLY 1 PLANE ON A 4 MI LOC APCH TO RWY 14, SO THE CTLR, SEEING ME COME TO THE DOWNWIND AND TURNING LEFT, VERY NICELY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD TURNED LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 32 AND NOT LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 14. HE HAD ME TURN 180 DEGS AND MAKE A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR 14, WHICH IS WHAT I HAD EXPECTED I WOULD DO FROM THE S. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO MY FAILURE TO LISTEN BEYOND MY PRECONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT FORM CTL, AND THEN MY FAILURE TO THINK OF WHAT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE ON THE DG AND COMPASS--THAT I WAS FLYING 140 DEGS TO LAND ON RWY 14. OF COURSE IT MADE SENSE I WAS WRONG AFTERWARD, BUT I STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW I FELL SO EASILY INTO THAT TYPE OF A MENTAL TRAP. THE SOLUTION IS TO TRY TO CONSCIOUSLY MAKE ALL OF WHAT IS SAID, RATHER THAN READING EVERYTHING IN A MESSAGE FROM ONE SMALL PORTION; I.E., NOT FOLLOWING EXPECTATIONS EVERY TIME.

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.