Narrative:

I was returning from a flight to osc in cessna skylane. I was on an IFR flight plan in VMC. Approximately 15 mi north of ann arbor, while in radio contact with detroit on 118.95, I canceled IFR, squawked 1200 and began setting up my VFR approach to runway 6 at arb. Prior to canceling IFR I had asked the controller which runway was in use at arb. He said he thought that runway 24 was being used earlier, but that yip was using runway 5 based on winds of 020 degrees at 10 KTS. I tuned in the yip ATIS an verified this. I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that runway 6 would be in use at arb. I mistakenly tuned in 123.0 unicom instead of 120.3 CTAF and transmitted my intentions 5 mi north, downwind, base, and final for runway 6. Because I was not on the proper CTAF frequency I did not hear any other traffic. While approaching the airport and on downwind, I looked for other traffic in the landing pattern, on the txwys and on the runway, and did not see any other aircraft. I asked my 3 passenger to verify if they could see any other aircraft. I turned on all lights available, landing, taxi, strobes and beacon prior to turning final approach. Approximately 1 mi on final I saw an unlighted aircraft approximately 1/4 mi off to my left. I assumed it had just taken off from runway 24. I executed a go around to the right side of runway 6 and then performed a normal landing on runway 24. There are many precautions designed into the ATC system. I realize that I made a serious mistake. The system however did work because I was displaying all available lighting on my aircraft and the occupant of the pt was able to see me. I could not see his aircraft until it was above the horizon to my left when I was on final approach. I realize he was not required to display position lights since it was before official sunset. If he had been displaying standard lights, he would have been more visible to me. In addition, there is the question of his performing what might have been a downwind takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182 ON FINAL APCH AT A NON TWR ARPT SIGHTS AN ACFT OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAME ALT, ABOUT ONE FOURTH MI TO HIS L. A GAR IS EXECUTED.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM A FLT TO OSC IN CESSNA SKYLANE. I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN VMC. APPROX 15 MI N OF ANN ARBOR, WHILE IN RADIO CONTACT WITH DETROIT ON 118.95, I CANCELED IFR, SQUAWKED 1200 AND BEGAN SETTING UP MY VFR APCH TO RWY 6 AT ARB. PRIOR TO CANCELING IFR I HAD ASKED THE CTLR WHICH RWY WAS IN USE AT ARB. HE SAID HE THOUGHT THAT RWY 24 WAS BEING USED EARLIER, BUT THAT YIP WAS USING RWY 5 BASED ON WINDS OF 020 DEGS AT 10 KTS. I TUNED IN THE YIP ATIS AN VERIFIED THIS. I ASSUMED, PERHAPS INCORRECTLY, THAT RWY 6 WOULD BE IN USE AT ARB. I MISTAKENLY TUNED IN 123.0 UNICOM INSTEAD OF 120.3 CTAF AND XMITTED MY INTENTIONS 5 MI N, DOWNWIND, BASE, AND FINAL FOR RWY 6. BECAUSE I WAS NOT ON THE PROPER CTAF FREQ I DID NOT HEAR ANY OTHER TFC. WHILE APCHING THE ARPT AND ON DOWNWIND, I LOOKED FOR OTHER TFC IN THE LNDG PATTERN, ON THE TXWYS AND ON THE RWY, AND DID NOT SEE ANY OTHER ACFT. I ASKED MY 3 PAX TO VERIFY IF THEY COULD SEE ANY OTHER ACFT. I TURNED ON ALL LIGHTS AVAILABLE, LNDG, TAXI, STROBES AND BEACON PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL APCH. APPROX 1 MI ON FINAL I SAW AN UNLIGHTED ACFT APPROX 1/4 MI OFF TO MY L. I ASSUMED IT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM RWY 24. I EXECUTED A GAR TO THE R SIDE OF RWY 6 AND THEN PERFORMED A NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 24. THERE ARE MANY PRECAUTIONS DESIGNED INTO THE ATC SYS. I REALIZE THAT I MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE. THE SYS HOWEVER DID WORK BECAUSE I WAS DISPLAYING ALL AVAILABLE LIGHTING ON MY ACFT AND THE OCCUPANT OF THE PT WAS ABLE TO SEE ME. I COULD NOT SEE HIS ACFT UNTIL IT WAS ABOVE THE HORIZON TO MY L WHEN I WAS ON FINAL APCH. I REALIZE HE WAS NOT REQUIRED TO DISPLAY POS LIGHTS SINCE IT WAS BEFORE OFFICIAL SUNSET. IF HE HAD BEEN DISPLAYING STANDARD LIGHTS, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE VISIBLE TO ME. IN ADDITION, THERE IS THE QUESTION OF HIS PERFORMING WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DOWNWIND TKOF.

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.