Narrative:

I had descended from cruise altitude of 3500 ft MSL to traffic pattern altitude of 1400 ft MSL. I started what I thought was the correct way to enter the traffic pattern at the 45 degree. All along I was announcing my intentions on what I thought the CTAF was 123.3, but in actuality was 123.0. To this day I do not know how I came up with that frequency. As I was getting closer to the airport, I noticed that I was entering from a different direction than previously thought. I knew this because I could see the numbers on the runway. Just as I noticed this, I saw a high wing airplane to my left banking into me and closing. I immediately banked my plane to the right to avoid a collision. He was continuing on his course and did not seem to be making any corrections to avoid me. Luckily, he then passed behind me about 75 ft away. I then continued around in the proper traffic pattern and landed. I was on the first of 3 legs for my solo long cross country and had never been to this airport before. I thought I knew where I was relative to the airport. I learned 2 lessons: 1) always check and be sure of your frequencys and look out window before landing at this airport, you don't need a radio. 2) when entering an unfamiliar uncontrolled airport to overfly at least 500 ft above traffic pattern to get your bearing. I also believe that the other pilot involved was not properly looking out the window because he allowed his plane to get way too close to me. He should have seen me way before I saw him, he approached me from my left.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A BEECH 19, SPORT BE19 ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED ARPT, AND A C182 TURNING DOWNWIND IN THE TFC PATTERN. THE RPTING STUDENT PLT WAS ENTERING THE DOWNWIND LEG IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE C182, WHICH WAS FOR THE FAVORED RWY IN USE.

Narrative: I HAD DSNDED FROM CRUISE ALT OF 3500 FT MSL TO TFC PATTERN ALT OF 1400 FT MSL. I STARTED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE CORRECT WAY TO ENTER THE TFC PATTERN AT THE 45 DEG. ALL ALONG I WAS ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS ON WHAT I THOUGHT THE CTAF WAS 123.3, BUT IN ACTUALITY WAS 123.0. TO THIS DAY I DO NOT KNOW HOW I CAME UP WITH THAT FREQ. AS I WAS GETTING CLOSER TO THE ARPT, I NOTICED THAT I WAS ENTERING FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. I KNEW THIS BECAUSE I COULD SEE THE NUMBERS ON THE RWY. JUST AS I NOTICED THIS, I SAW A HIGH WING AIRPLANE TO MY L BANKING INTO ME AND CLOSING. I IMMEDIATELY BANKED MY PLANE TO THE R TO AVOID A COLLISION. HE WAS CONTINUING ON HIS COURSE AND DID NOT SEEM TO BE MAKING ANY CORRECTIONS TO AVOID ME. LUCKILY, HE THEN PASSED BEHIND ME ABOUT 75 FT AWAY. I THEN CONTINUED AROUND IN THE PROPER TFC PATTERN AND LANDED. I WAS ON THE FIRST OF 3 LEGS FOR MY SOLO LONG XCOUNTRY AND HAD NEVER BEEN TO THIS ARPT BEFORE. I THOUGHT I KNEW WHERE I WAS RELATIVE TO THE ARPT. I LEARNED 2 LESSONS: 1) ALWAYS CHK AND BE SURE OF YOUR FREQS AND LOOK OUT WINDOW BEFORE LNDG AT THIS ARPT, YOU DON'T NEED A RADIO. 2) WHEN ENTERING AN UNFAMILIAR UNCTLED ARPT TO OVERFLY AT LEAST 500 FT ABOVE TFC PATTERN TO GET YOUR BEARING. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE OTHER PLT INVOLVED WAS NOT PROPERLY LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE HE ALLOWED HIS PLANE TO GET WAY TOO CLOSE TO ME. HE SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME WAY BEFORE I SAW HIM, HE APCHED ME FROM MY L.

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.