Pilot complains traffic pattern places aircraft too close to mountains.

Attributes
ACN	178902
Time
Date	199105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lhv
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 115 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	178902
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were northbound to lhv from the southeast. We came over the mountain on the southeast side of the field at 3500' MSL. We crossed over the airport at this altitude and descended to traffic pattern altitude on the other side of the field. We then entered the downwind for 9 at a 45 degree angle. In order to make the base to final turn, an unusually steep angle of bank was needed, which was exceptionally dangerous. Upon returning to williamsport, we spoke to a few pilots who informed us that left traffic for runway 9 is prohibited for this reason. This information is not available in either the airport facs directory or the airport guide. It should be noted that left traffic for runway 9 is dangerous and should be noted in the AFD. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: apparently reporter and friends are correct, a left pattern is a bad deal. However, this is true for the opp direction runway. Callback to airport revealed there is no segmented circle with pattern information at this field. Personnel stated they would speak to airport manager re: our comments.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT COMPLAINS TRAFFIC PATTERN PLACES ACFT TOO CLOSE TO MOUNTAINS.

Narrative: WE WERE NBND TO LHV FROM THE SE. WE CAME OVER THE MOUNTAIN ON THE SE SIDE OF THE FIELD AT 3500' MSL. WE CROSSED OVER THE ARPT AT THIS ALT AND DSNDED TO TFC PATTERN ALT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD. WE THEN ENTERED THE DOWNWIND FOR 9 AT A 45 DEG ANGLE. IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BASE TO FINAL TURN, AN UNUSUALLY STEEP ANGLE OF BANK WAS NEEDED, WHICH WAS EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS. UPON RETURNING TO WILLIAMSPORT, WE SPOKE TO A FEW PLTS WHO INFORMED US THAT LEFT TFC FOR RWY 9 IS PROHIBITED FOR THIS REASON. THIS INFO IS NOT AVAILABLE IN EITHER THE ARPT FACS DIRECTORY OR THE ARPT GUIDE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT LEFT TFC FOR RWY 9 IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE NOTED IN THE AFD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: APPARENTLY RPTR AND FRIENDS ARE CORRECT, A LEFT PATTERN IS A BAD DEAL. HOWEVER, THIS IS TRUE FOR THE OPP DIRECTION RWY. CALLBACK TO ARPT REVEALED THERE IS NO SEGMENTED CIRCLE WITH PATTERN INFO AT THIS FIELD. PERSONNEL STATED THEY WOULD SPEAK TO ARPT MGR RE: OUR COMMENTS.

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.