Narrative:

Flying locally in the tucson area under VFR, I had to make an unscheduled landing at avra valley airport. I had a current VFR sectional and obtained the airport unicom frequency from this. I was north of the field at 6500 ft. I called unicom and requested airport advisories. After several attempts with no success, I heard an aircraft advise he was landing runway 30 at avra valley. I proceeded sbound and began to descend. I advised traffic of my intentions to cross over mid-field at 4000 ft and enter left traffic for runway 30. As I began my descent an aircraft advised he was departing runway 30 to the northeast. I restated my intentions and advised I would watch for him. He acknowledged. We spotted each other north of the field and called each other in sight. Approaching 4000 ft at mid-field I advised traffic again of my intentions to enter left traffic for runway 30. It wasn't until I had begun to enter left downwind traffic that an aircraft asked if I was familiar with the airport. I advised that I was not. He then advised me of local parachute jumping in progress on the west side of the airport. He also advised that due to local parachute jumping on the west side of the airport runway 30 used right traffic. I took evasive action and made an immediate right turn back over mid-field to enter right traffic for runway 30. I also advised traffic of my intentions. I believe this situation could have been prevented through several courses of action: I should have carried a current airport facility directory. Unicom should be monitored more closely during parachute jumping. Other aircraft could have corrected me sooner when they heard the error of my intentions.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT FLYING A TFC WATCH MISSION ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN OF E14 IMPROPERLY, BUT CORRECTED WHEN ADVISED BY ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: FLYING LOCALLY IN THE TUCSON AREA UNDER VFR, I HAD TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG AT AVRA VALLEY ARPT. I HAD A CURRENT VFR SECTIONAL AND OBTAINED THE ARPT UNICOM FREQ FROM THIS. I WAS N OF THE FIELD AT 6500 FT. I CALLED UNICOM AND REQUESTED ARPT ADVISORIES. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH NO SUCCESS, I HEARD AN ACFT ADVISE HE WAS LNDG RWY 30 AT AVRA VALLEY. I PROCEEDED SBOUND AND BEGAN TO DSND. I ADVISED TFC OF MY INTENTIONS TO CROSS OVER MID-FIELD AT 4000 FT AND ENTER L TFC FOR RWY 30. AS I BEGAN MY DSCNT AN ACFT ADVISED HE WAS DEPARTING RWY 30 TO THE NE. I RESTATED MY INTENTIONS AND ADVISED I WOULD WATCH FOR HIM. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. WE SPOTTED EACH OTHER N OF THE FIELD AND CALLED EACH OTHER IN SIGHT. APCHING 4000 FT AT MID-FIELD I ADVISED TFC AGAIN OF MY INTENTIONS TO ENTER L TFC FOR RWY 30. IT WASN'T UNTIL I HAD BEGUN TO ENTER L DOWNWIND TFC THAT AN ACFT ASKED IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. I ADVISED THAT I WAS NOT. HE THEN ADVISED ME OF LCL PARACHUTE JUMPING IN PROGRESS ON THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT. HE ALSO ADVISED THAT DUE TO LCL PARACHUTE JUMPING ON THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT RWY 30 USED R TFC. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN BACK OVER MID-FIELD TO ENTER R TFC FOR RWY 30. I ALSO ADVISED TFC OF MY INTENTIONS. I BELIEVE THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED THROUGH SEVERAL COURSES OF ACTION: I SHOULD HAVE CARRIED A CURRENT ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. UNICOM SHOULD BE MONITORED MORE CLOSELY DURING PARACHUTE JUMPING. OTHER ACFT COULD HAVE CORRECTED ME SOONER WHEN THEY HEARD THE ERROR OF MY INTENTIONS.

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.