Reporter enters downwind for the opposing runway.

Attributes
ACN	317430
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sns
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sns
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 2765 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	317430
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were flying to an airshow along with a crowd of aircraft arriving before field closure for the show. Arriving aircraft were directed to go southeast and enter left downwind for runway 26. I asked my right seat passenger, a pilot, to hold up the airport diagram so I could be oriented. When I do this for myself, I always orient the diagram with my course point up. My helper did not do that, and I entered downwind for runway 8. When I reported on base leg to the tower, the helper told me I was wrong, and the tower said, 'not in sight.' I then joined in with other aircraft in downwind for runway 26 by working a 45 degree entry from the southwest. No traffic conflicts occurred. The need for especially acute traffic awareness made me delegate the holding of the airport diagram.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ENTERS DOWNWIND FOR THE OPPOSING RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING TO AN AIRSHOW ALONG WITH A CROWD OF ACFT ARRIVING BEFORE FIELD CLOSURE FOR THE SHOW. ARRIVING ACFT WERE DIRECTED TO GO SE AND ENTER L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26. I ASKED MY R SEAT PAX, A PLT, TO HOLD UP THE ARPT DIAGRAM SO I COULD BE ORIENTED. WHEN I DO THIS FOR MYSELF, I ALWAYS ORIENT THE DIAGRAM WITH MY COURSE POINT UP. MY HELPER DID NOT DO THAT, AND I ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 8. WHEN I RPTED ON BASE LEG TO THE TWR, THE HELPER TOLD ME I WAS WRONG, AND THE TWR SAID, 'NOT IN SIGHT.' I THEN JOINED IN WITH OTHER ACFT IN DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26 BY WORKING A 45 DEG ENTRY FROM THE SW. NO TFC CONFLICTS OCCURRED. THE NEED FOR ESPECIALLY ACUTE TFC AWARENESS MADE ME DELEGATE THE HOLDING OF THE ARPT DIAGRAM.

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.