Near midair collision. Low time student pilot entered traffic pattern for wrong runway and, after an...

Attributes
ACN	333370
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgj
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 60 flight time type : 14
ASRS Report	333370
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying my second solo cross country from bdr to mgj. When I left bdr, winds at both airports were from the east and light. On approaching mgj I assumed the active runway was runway 8. I announced my position and intentions on the CTAF. I was east of mgj and intended to enter left downwind for runway 8. As I turned final for runway 8, I announced my position (I had been announcing my position throughout the pattern). On short final, I announced my position. At this time a woman pilot informed me the active runway was runway 21. I decided to abort the landing and enter a left downwind for runway 21. As I was turning left to enter the downwind, the same woman pilot informed me runway 21 was right traffic. I acknowledged and decided I would fly a wide and high left traffic pattern (I climbed to 2000 ft MSL) around runway 21. I did this so I would not cross the final or base legs for runway 21. Although, I am not 100 percent certain where the incident occurred, I believe it happened as I was flying south (210 degrees) wide of runway 21, positioning myself to enter the right downwind. A plane, that I believe was a twin engine, flying east toward swf (I think) flew 300-400 ft directly above me. The incident was instantaneous. This is how I believe events took place, though I am not certain. It is possible the incident occurred as I was flying west wide and high of the final for runway 21. In this case, the other plane may have been on final for runway 21, although I do not recall any planes announcing 'final position' on the CTAF, nor did I see any twin engine plane on the ground at mgj. In addition, no one confronted me at mgj. The incident, regardless if it was my fault or not, may have been precipitated by my not determining the active runway at mgj. In addition, I should have turned right (not left) after the go around (ie, aborted landing) to enter the right downwind for runway 21. This way I would have crossed the upwind leg and not final.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC. LOW TIME STUDENT PLT ENTERED TFC PATTERN FOR WRONG RWY AND, AFTER ANOTHER ACFT IN PATTERN INFORMED HIM HE DID A GAR. BUT, WENT THE WRONG WAY FOR THE PATTERN AND CAME IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING MY SECOND SOLO XCOUNTRY FROM BDR TO MGJ. WHEN I LEFT BDR, WINDS AT BOTH ARPTS WERE FROM THE E AND LIGHT. ON APCHING MGJ I ASSUMED THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 8. I ANNOUNCED MY POS AND INTENTIONS ON THE CTAF. I WAS E OF MGJ AND INTENDED TO ENTER L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 8. AS I TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 8, I ANNOUNCED MY POS (I HAD BEEN ANNOUNCING MY POS THROUGHOUT THE PATTERN). ON SHORT FINAL, I ANNOUNCED MY POS. AT THIS TIME A WOMAN PLT INFORMED ME THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 21. I DECIDED TO ABORT THE LNDG AND ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21. AS I WAS TURNING L TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND, THE SAME WOMAN PLT INFORMED ME RWY 21 WAS R TFC. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND DECIDED I WOULD FLY A WIDE AND HIGH L TFC PATTERN (I CLBED TO 2000 FT MSL) AROUND RWY 21. I DID THIS SO I WOULD NOT CROSS THE FINAL OR BASE LEGS FOR RWY 21. ALTHOUGH, I AM NOT 100 PERCENT CERTAIN WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, I BELIEVE IT HAPPENED AS I WAS FLYING S (210 DEGS) WIDE OF RWY 21, POSITIONING MYSELF TO ENTER THE R DOWNWIND. A PLANE, THAT I BELIEVE WAS A TWIN ENG, FLYING E TOWARD SWF (I THINK) FLEW 300-400 FT DIRECTLY ABOVE ME. THE INCIDENT WAS INSTANTANEOUS. THIS IS HOW I BELIEVE EVENTS TOOK PLACE, THOUGH I AM NOT CERTAIN. IT IS POSSIBLE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AS I WAS FLYING W WIDE AND HIGH OF THE FINAL FOR RWY 21. IN THIS CASE, THE OTHER PLANE MAY HAVE BEEN ON FINAL FOR RWY 21, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT RECALL ANY PLANES ANNOUNCING 'FINAL POS' ON THE CTAF, NOR DID I SEE ANY TWIN ENG PLANE ON THE GND AT MGJ. IN ADDITION, NO ONE CONFRONTED ME AT MGJ. THE INCIDENT, REGARDLESS IF IT WAS MY FAULT OR NOT, MAY HAVE BEEN PRECIPITATED BY MY NOT DETERMINING THE ACTIVE RWY AT MGJ. IN ADDITION, I SHOULD HAVE TURNED R (NOT L) AFTER THE GAR (IE, ABORTED LNDG) TO ENTER THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21. THIS WAY I WOULD HAVE CROSSED THE UPWIND LEG AND NOT FINAL.

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.

Near midair collision. Low time student pilot entered traffic pattern for wrong runway and, after another aircraft in pattern informed him he did a go around. But, went the wrong way for the pattern and came in conflict with another aircraft.