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An small aircraft private pilot became disoriented in a hazy condition and became low in the traffic pattern.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 209856 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ptk |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ptk tracon : smf |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other landing other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 397 flight time type : 123 |
| ASRS Report | 209856 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Although ptk is my home base, I had difficulty locating it on the date of the incident due to haze. ATIS was reporting the visibility as 10 mi, but I feel it was significantly less (probably 5). Approximately 5 mi north (at 3500 MSL), I spotted the airport, called the tower, and was told to report 2 mi north for a left downwind for 9R. 2 mi out, at 1800 MSL (pattern altitude), I called the tower and was told that I was #2 to land after an airplane that was on downwind east of my position. Again, due to the haze, I had difficulty in locating the traffic, and shortly after entering downwind, discovered that I was at 1500 MSL (approximately 500 AGL). At this point, I climbed to pattern altitude and made an uneventful landing. I feel that the stress from not being able to locate my home airport as quickly as usual and having difficulty in spotting the traffic resulted in my carelessness. In the future, I plan to maintain a special vigilance on altitude control while in the pattern and especially under distracting conditions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN SMA PVT PLT BECAME DISORIENTED IN A HAZY CONDITION AND BECAME LOW IN THE TFC PATTERN.
Narrative: ALTHOUGH PTK IS MY HOME BASE, I HAD DIFFICULTY LOCATING IT ON THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT DUE TO HAZE. ATIS WAS RPTING THE VISIBILITY AS 10 MI, BUT I FEEL IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS (PROBABLY 5). APPROX 5 MI N (AT 3500 MSL), I SPOTTED THE ARPT, CALLED THE TWR, AND WAS TOLD TO RPT 2 MI N FOR A L DOWNWIND FOR 9R. 2 MI OUT, AT 1800 MSL (PATTERN ALT), I CALLED THE TWR AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS #2 TO LAND AFTER AN AIRPLANE THAT WAS ON DOWNWIND E OF MY POS. AGAIN, DUE TO THE HAZE, I HAD DIFFICULTY IN LOCATING THE TFC, AND SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING DOWNWIND, DISCOVERED THAT I WAS AT 1500 MSL (APPROX 500 AGL). AT THIS POINT, I CLBED TO PATTERN ALT AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I FEEL THAT THE STRESS FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCATE MY HOME ARPT AS QUICKLY AS USUAL AND HAVING DIFFICULTY IN SPOTTING THE TFC RESULTED IN MY CARELESSNESS. IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO MAINTAIN A SPECIAL VIGILANCE ON ALT CTL WHILE IN THE PATTERN AND ESPECIALLY UNDER DISTRACTING CONDITIONS.
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.