Small aircraft searching for airport has near midair collision with aircraft on downwind.

Attributes
ACN	223145
Time
Date	199210
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stc
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
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	cruise 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 : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 830 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	223145
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying from stp to 04Y using pilotage. The ceiling was 2500 ft MSL, I was cruising at 2000 ft. I was looking for the clear lake airport (southeast of st cloud) and never saw it. I flew into st cloud area thinking I was 10 mi east. I saw an small aircraft on an opposite heading, same altitude less than 3 seconds from impact. Abrupt pull up lead to a very close near miss. In this incident I was clearly at fault. The small aircraft was flying a downwind leg to stc. Factors which were involved: low ceilings and therefore low level cruise. No strobe lights either aircraft. Geographic disorientation -- ie, I thought I was 10 mi east of stc. I will avoid this situation in the future by: raising min ceilings acceptable to VFR. Mounting strobe lights. More caution regarding pilotage methods.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA SEARCHING FOR ARPT HAS NMAC WITH ACFT ON DOWNWIND.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM STP TO 04Y USING PILOTAGE. THE CEILING WAS 2500 FT MSL, I WAS CRUISING AT 2000 FT. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE CLR LAKE ARPT (SE OF ST CLOUD) AND NEVER SAW IT. I FLEW INTO ST CLOUD AREA THINKING I WAS 10 MI E. I SAW AN SMA ON AN OPPOSITE HDG, SAME ALT LESS THAN 3 SECONDS FROM IMPACT. ABRUPT PULL UP LEAD TO A VERY CLOSE NEAR MISS. IN THIS INCIDENT I WAS CLRLY AT FAULT. THE SMA WAS FLYING A DOWNWIND LEG TO STC. FACTORS WHICH WERE INVOLVED: LOW CEILINGS AND THEREFORE LOW LEVEL CRUISE. NO STROBE LIGHTS EITHER ACFT. GEOGRAPHIC DISORIENTATION -- IE, I THOUGHT I WAS 10 MI E OF STC. I WILL AVOID THIS SITUATION IN THE FUTURE BY: RAISING MIN CEILINGS ACCEPTABLE TO VFR. MOUNTING STROBE LIGHTS. MORE CAUTION REGARDING PILOTAGE METHODS.

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.