Unauthorized wrong runway landing. Near midair collision on approach.

Attributes
ACN	282180
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n80 airport : 26n
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 98 flight time total : 463 flight time type : 390
ASRS Report	282180
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying from aiy (bader field) to 26N (ocean city) for fuel. WX was VFR. The trip is approximately 9 NM and startup to shutdown is usually 12 mins. I tuned in my radio to 122.8 as I approached ocean city and reported my position and asked for runway information. I received no answer. 20 seconds later, I hear a position report of an aircraft 3000 ft directly above ocean city. I hear several other aircraft calling in to ocean city but no replies. Since the wind at bader was favoring 22 (which I couldn't use to depart), I decided to enter a right downwind for runway 24 at a 45 degree entry. I'm calling out my position entering downwind, base, and final with no response. I turn final at about 600 ft. I stabilize my approach and notice a cessna at about 400 ft climbing out at my 11 O'clock position about 400-500 ft to my left. I immediately realized that the cessna had just departed runway 6 and was upset that he didn't respond to my position reports and I couldn't understand how I could have been so stupid to be in this position or why some idiot was taking off on runway 6 when I've announced my entire pattern to everyone. It's not uncommon for unicom at 26N to not answer your inquiries. When I landed downwind, I knew I used the wrong runway. I ordered fuel and asked if anyone used the radios and got no response. I started talking to another pilot and he told me that he heard unicom telling me that I was using the wrong runway. I asked him if he heard my position reports and he said 'no' and that I should check my communication radio before I departed. I don't know why, but I told him that it was working at bader and when I put 122.8 in I heard other pilots talking to ocean city. He told me the frequency was 122.7 for 26N and I knew I screwed up. I have been to N80 (ocean city, md) many times and 26N (ocean city, nj) and 'know' the frequencys. Instead of looking at the sectional, I put in the known frequency from memory and when I heard ocean city position reports I never questioned my mistake. I will always double-check my frequencys, especially if I 'know' them. Unless I'm talking to the airport, I'll overfly the airport to make sure I use the best (and active) runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH WRONG RWY LNDG. NMAC ON APCH.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM AIY (BADER FIELD) TO 26N (OCEAN CITY) FOR FUEL. WX WAS VFR. THE TRIP IS APPROX 9 NM AND STARTUP TO SHUTDOWN IS USUALLY 12 MINS. I TUNED IN MY RADIO TO 122.8 AS I APCHED OCEAN CITY AND RPTED MY POS AND ASKED FOR RWY INFO. I RECEIVED NO ANSWER. 20 SECONDS LATER, I HEAR A POS RPT OF AN ACFT 3000 FT DIRECTLY ABOVE OCEAN CITY. I HEAR SEVERAL OTHER ACFT CALLING IN TO OCEAN CITY BUT NO REPLIES. SINCE THE WIND AT BADER WAS FAVORING 22 (WHICH I COULDN'T USE TO DEPART), I DECIDED TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24 AT A 45 DEG ENTRY. I'M CALLING OUT MY POS ENTERING DOWNWIND, BASE, AND FINAL WITH NO RESPONSE. I TURN FINAL AT ABOUT 600 FT. I STABILIZE MY APCH AND NOTICE A CESSNA AT ABOUT 400 FT CLBING OUT AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS ABOUT 400-500 FT TO MY L. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT THE CESSNA HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 6 AND WAS UPSET THAT HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY POS RPTS AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW I COULD HAVE BEEN SO STUPID TO BE IN THIS POS OR WHY SOME IDIOT WAS TAKING OFF ON RWY 6 WHEN I'VE ANNOUNCED MY ENTIRE PATTERN TO EVERYONE. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR UNICOM AT 26N TO NOT ANSWER YOUR INQUIRIES. WHEN I LANDED DOWNWIND, I KNEW I USED THE WRONG RWY. I ORDERED FUEL AND ASKED IF ANYONE USED THE RADIOS AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I STARTED TALKING TO ANOTHER PLT AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE HEARD UNICOM TELLING ME THAT I WAS USING THE WRONG RWY. I ASKED HIM IF HE HEARD MY POS RPTS AND HE SAID 'NO' AND THAT I SHOULD CHK MY COM RADIO BEFORE I DEPARTED. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS WORKING AT BADER AND WHEN I PUT 122.8 IN I HEARD OTHER PLTS TALKING TO OCEAN CITY. HE TOLD ME THE FREQ WAS 122.7 FOR 26N AND I KNEW I SCREWED UP. I HAVE BEEN TO N80 (OCEAN CITY, MD) MANY TIMES AND 26N (OCEAN CITY, NJ) AND 'KNOW' THE FREQS. INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE SECTIONAL, I PUT IN THE KNOWN FREQ FROM MEMORY AND WHEN I HEARD OCEAN CITY POS RPTS I NEVER QUESTIONED MY MISTAKE. I WILL ALWAYS DOUBLE-CHK MY FREQS, ESPECIALLY IF I 'KNOW' THEM. UNLESS I'M TALKING TO THE ARPT, I'LL OVERFLY THE ARPT TO MAKE SURE I USE THE BEST (AND ACTIVE) RWY.

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.