An air carrier may have circled on the wrong side of the runway.

Attributes
ACN	273946
Time
Date	199406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oaj
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ilm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 450 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	273946
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	273962
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After completing approach to runway 5 at oaj, approximately 5 mi from runway end, we entered VFR conditions, broke off approach and entered a left hand pattern to runway 23. Air carrier 10-T information page states to use left hand pattern in visual conditions. Since we were never cleared for the 'visual approach,' our circle-to- land southeast of runway 5/23 was not authority/authorized as stated on the commercial approach plate. In the future, I will be sure to request a visual approach in order to use a left hand pattern at oaj. Supplemental information from acn 273962: AWOS reported WX at oaj was 17 broken, 24 broken, 10 mi. Unicom gave us an airport advisory. The advisory indicated runway 23 was favored and that there was no reported traffic. This airport has seen controversy in the past for pilots making nonstandard patterns. Left traffic is standard at oaj. Since my company is not authority/authorized circling approachs below 1000 ft and 3 mi, the question then is 'what exactly did we just do?' did we conduct a circling approach at better than VFR conditions, or did we reach VFR conditions and fly the standard pattern for that airport?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MAY HAVE CIRCLED ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RWY.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING APCH TO RWY 5 AT OAJ, APPROX 5 MI FROM RWY END, WE ENTERED VFR CONDITIONS, BROKE OFF APCH AND ENTERED A L HAND PATTERN TO RWY 23. ACR 10-T INFO PAGE STATES TO USE L HAND PATTERN IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. SINCE WE WERE NEVER CLRED FOR THE 'VISUAL APCH,' OUR CIRCLE-TO- LAND SE OF RWY 5/23 WAS NOT AUTH AS STATED ON THE COMMERCIAL APCH PLATE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE SURE TO REQUEST A VISUAL APCH IN ORDER TO USE A L HAND PATTERN AT OAJ. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 273962: AWOS RPTED WX AT OAJ WAS 17 BROKEN, 24 BROKEN, 10 MI. UNICOM GAVE US AN ARPT ADVISORY. THE ADVISORY INDICATED RWY 23 WAS FAVORED AND THAT THERE WAS NO RPTED TFC. THIS ARPT HAS SEEN CONTROVERSY IN THE PAST FOR PLTS MAKING NONSTANDARD PATTERNS. L TFC IS STANDARD AT OAJ. SINCE MY COMPANY IS NOT AUTH CIRCLING APCHS BELOW 1000 FT AND 3 MI, THE QUESTION THEN IS 'WHAT EXACTLY DID WE JUST DO?' DID WE CONDUCT A CIRCLING APCH AT BETTER THAN VFR CONDITIONS, OR DID WE REACH VFR CONDITIONS AND FLY THE STANDARD PATTERN FOR THAT ARPT?

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.