Narrative:

Bfi class D sits under sea class B airspace. 'Vashon' arrival procedures (from west) require remaining below 2000 ft, descending to +/-800-1000 ft MSL when arriving at a reservoir landmark. The landmark is at a ridge. Crossing the ridge, the airport becomes visible and traffic joins downwind for runway 13R/31L at 800 ft. Active runway was runway 13. Crossing the ridge and turning, I've always had trouble stabilizing at pattern altitude. On this day, I was flying a complex/high performance that I had recently been endorsed for. I had my hands full on downwind and mentally tuned out a radio call. I think the controller was going to change me to runway 13L but changed his mind. I extended my downwind slightly to stabilize and called for clarification: runway 13R. Although this applies more to runway 31L, I've been told forcefully to keep downwind inside a river landmark due to class B structure. This results in crowding the runway on downwind. On my extended downwind, I lost orientation with the runway. I believe I was too close and thought of requesting a left 270 degree to join base, but with frequency congestion, I didn't want to speak up. The C182 has a wider turning radius than the C172. I wound up aligned with runway 13L and was instructed to go around. On realigning with runway 13R, I was offered to continue the approach, but I elected to do a full pattern to catch my breath. Issues: geography (ridge), airspace structure, frequency congestion, pilot: low time in higher performance/complex. Solution: wider downwind or avoid vashon arrival in C182.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT TIME PART 91 C182 DISORIENTED OVERSHOT PARALLEL RWY AND DIRECTED TO MISS THE APCH AT BFI.

Narrative: BFI CLASS D SITS UNDER SEA CLASS B AIRSPACE. 'VASHON' ARR PROCS (FROM W) REQUIRE REMAINING BELOW 2000 FT, DSNDING TO +/-800-1000 FT MSL WHEN ARRIVING AT A RESERVOIR LANDMARK. THE LANDMARK IS AT A RIDGE. XING THE RIDGE, THE ARPT BECOMES VISIBLE AND TFC JOINS DOWNWIND FOR RWY 13R/31L AT 800 FT. ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 13. XING THE RIDGE AND TURNING, I'VE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE STABILIZING AT PATTERN ALT. ON THIS DAY, I WAS FLYING A COMPLEX/HIGH PERFORMANCE THAT I HAD RECENTLY BEEN ENDORSED FOR. I HAD MY HANDS FULL ON DOWNWIND AND MENTALLY TUNED OUT A RADIO CALL. I THINK THE CTLR WAS GOING TO CHANGE ME TO RWY 13L BUT CHANGED HIS MIND. I EXTENDED MY DOWNWIND SLIGHTLY TO STABILIZE AND CALLED FOR CLARIFICATION: RWY 13R. ALTHOUGH THIS APPLIES MORE TO RWY 31L, I'VE BEEN TOLD FORCEFULLY TO KEEP DOWNWIND INSIDE A RIVER LANDMARK DUE TO CLASS B STRUCTURE. THIS RESULTS IN CROWDING THE RWY ON DOWNWIND. ON MY EXTENDED DOWNWIND, I LOST ORIENTATION WITH THE RWY. I BELIEVE I WAS TOO CLOSE AND THOUGHT OF REQUESTING A L 270 DEG TO JOIN BASE, BUT WITH FREQ CONGESTION, I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK UP. THE C182 HAS A WIDER TURNING RADIUS THAN THE C172. I WOUND UP ALIGNED WITH RWY 13L AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND. ON REALIGNING WITH RWY 13R, I WAS OFFERED TO CONTINUE THE APCH, BUT I ELECTED TO DO A FULL PATTERN TO CATCH MY BREATH. ISSUES: GEOGRAPHY (RIDGE), AIRSPACE STRUCTURE, FREQ CONGESTION, PLT: LOW TIME IN HIGHER PERFORMANCE/COMPLEX. SOLUTION: WIDER DOWNWIND OR AVOID VASHON ARR IN C182.

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.