Near midair collision on final approach to runways 33 at isp.

Attributes
ACN	220155
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : isp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : isp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	220155
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was cleared to land on runway 33L, having entered a left downwind pattern. While on left base, about to turn final, I was distracted by a number of seagulls, which I tried to keep my eye on when turning final from base. Because of my distraction, apparently, I started to line up with runway 33R instead of 33L. Shortly thereafter, I noted a single engine high wing small aircraft, an xyz I would imagine, above, to the right and ahead of me. He saw me at the same time and asked the tower what I was doing there, I had already started to fly to the left to land on 33L. I checked with the tower to be sure of the assigned runway which was confirmed as 33L, and proceeded to land on 33L without incident. Nevertheless, I was definitely closer to the other aircraft than I should have been, and had at first lined up with the wrong runway because I was concentrating too much on the birds, and had forgotten, for the moment that there were parallel 33 runways. As for methods of prevention of such occurrences, in the future, I should not allow myself to be so much distracted by birds. In addition writing down the assigned runway, 33L, may have served to keep me reminded that there were parallel runways.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC ON FINAL APCH TO RWYS 33 AT ISP.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 33L, HAVING ENTERED A L DOWNWIND PATTERN. WHILE ON L BASE, ABOUT TO TURN FINAL, I WAS DISTRACTED BY A NUMBER OF SEAGULLS, WHICH I TRIED TO KEEP MY EYE ON WHEN TURNING FINAL FROM BASE. BECAUSE OF MY DISTR, APPARENTLY, I STARTED TO LINE UP WITH RWY 33R INSTEAD OF 33L. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I NOTED A SINGLE ENG HIGH WING SMA, AN XYZ I WOULD IMAGINE, ABOVE, TO THE R AND AHEAD OF ME. HE SAW ME AT THE SAME TIME AND ASKED THE TWR WHAT I WAS DOING THERE, I HAD ALREADY STARTED TO FLY TO THE L TO LAND ON 33L. I CHKED WITH THE TWR TO BE SURE OF THE ASSIGNED RWY WHICH WAS CONFIRMED AS 33L, AND PROCEEDED TO LAND ON 33L WITHOUT INCIDENT. NEVERTHELESS, I WAS DEFINITELY CLOSER TO THE OTHER ACFT THAN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN, AND HAD AT FIRST LINED UP WITH THE WRONG RWY BECAUSE I WAS CONCENTRATING TOO MUCH ON THE BIRDS, AND HAD FORGOTTEN, FOR THE MOMENT THAT THERE WERE PARALLEL 33 RWYS. AS FOR METHODS OF PREVENTION OF SUCH OCCURRENCES, IN THE FUTURE, I SHOULD NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE SO MUCH DISTRACTED BY BIRDS. IN ADDITION WRITING DOWN THE ASSIGNED RWY, 33L, MAY HAVE SERVED TO KEEP ME REMINDED THAT THERE WERE PARALLEL RWYS.

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.