Small aircraft pilot makes wrong side downwind then cuts another aircraft out on final approach.

Attributes
ACN	236751
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : wjf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : wjf
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2 flight time total : 148 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	236751
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had been to the airport as a passenger for the first time 2 weeks prior. I thought I could approach by dead reckoning as a pilot. Upon descent over the mountains, my passenger became nauseated. (He had eaten too soon before flying). This caused a disruption of my thinking in the cockpit. I mistook the penitentiary buildings and parking lot for the air field. I called for tower and recalled when entering the 'pattern' for the incorrect air strip. On base, I realized the error and notified the tower of the error. The tower requested I recontact on downwind for runway 24. My passenger continued to be nauseated and upon seeing the runway I set myself up for downwind for runway 9. After notifying the tower I was on downwind for runway 24, I realized I was on downwind for runway 9. I crossed the runway at midfield (pattern altitude) and set up for right traffic for runway 24. (The tower had approved me for left traffic for runway 24.) I was then approved for right traffic to follow a small transport on left downwind for runway 24. I did not see the small transport but assumed it was closer to base. I turned right base 1 1/2 mi east of the runway threshold, assuming he had turned base. He promptly notified the tower that I just cut him off on final. (My passenger was sick again). In the future, I will carry a sick sack, fly to the airport by navaids, not dead reckoning, listen closer to the tower communications, and try to not let cabin occurrences distract me from flying the aircraft with the utmost of my attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT MAKES WRONG SIDE DOWNWIND THEN CUTS ANOTHER ACFT OUT ON FINAL APCH.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN TO THE ARPT AS A PAX FOR THE FIRST TIME 2 WKS PRIOR. I THOUGHT I COULD APCH BY DEAD RECKONING AS A PLT. UPON DSCNT OVER THE MOUNTAINS, MY PAX BECAME NAUSEATED. (HE HAD EATEN TOO SOON BEFORE FLYING). THIS CAUSED A DISRUPTION OF MY THINKING IN THE COCKPIT. I MISTOOK THE PENITENTIARY BUILDINGS AND PARKING LOT FOR THE AIR FIELD. I CALLED FOR TWR AND RECALLED WHEN ENTERING THE 'PATTERN' FOR THE INCORRECT AIR STRIP. ON BASE, I REALIZED THE ERROR AND NOTIFIED THE TWR OF THE ERROR. THE TWR REQUESTED I RECONTACT ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24. MY PAX CONTINUED TO BE NAUSEATED AND UPON SEEING THE RWY I SET MYSELF UP FOR DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9. AFTER NOTIFYING THE TWR I WAS ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24, I REALIZED I WAS ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9. I CROSSED THE RWY AT MIDFIELD (PATTERN ALT) AND SET UP FOR R TFC FOR RWY 24. (THE TWR HAD APPROVED ME FOR L TFC FOR RWY 24.) I WAS THEN APPROVED FOR R TFC TO FOLLOW A SMT ON L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24. I DID NOT SEE THE SMT BUT ASSUMED IT WAS CLOSER TO BASE. I TURNED R BASE 1 1/2 MI E OF THE RWY THRESHOLD, ASSUMING HE HAD TURNED BASE. HE PROMPTLY NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT I JUST CUT HIM OFF ON FINAL. (MY PAX WAS SICK AGAIN). IN THE FUTURE, I WILL CARRY A SICK SACK, FLY TO THE ARPT BY NAVAIDS, NOT DEAD RECKONING, LISTEN CLOSER TO THE TWR COMS, AND TRY TO NOT LET CABIN OCCURRENCES DISTRACT ME FROM FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE UTMOST OF MY ATTN.

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.