Narrative:

I was approaching airport from the southeast. I contacted tower and was told to call 3 mi southeast for a right base entry to runway 6. At 3 mi southeast, I called and was told to watch for traffic on left base for runway 6. I told tower traffic not in sight. When I finally saw traffic, it was close off my left wing about 300 ft below me. I was told by tower that I had flown through the final approach course, very close to landing traffic, and to make a left 180 degree turn and enter final for runway 6. An uneventful landing was accomplished. After thinking about the incident, I realized what had happened. I have been to this airport many times, but almost always from the ene usually landing on runway 24. This time I approached from the southeast for a base entry to runway 6. I was intent on looking for my traffic and mistook runway 14/32 for runway 6/24. I was looking at the wrong runway and looking for traffic in the wrong place. When I saw the traffic, I thought he was in the wrong place and I became confused, until the tower told me about flying through the final approach course for runway 6. I realize that orientation is a full time job, especially when flying in the pattern. When I didn't see the traffic, I should have called the controller and asked for further directions. Incidents like this are never forgotten, and I'm sure it will be on my mind whenever I fly to another airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE-33 PLT AND A CESSNA HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION AFTER THE BE-33 PLT MISIDENTED THE RWY HE WAS CLRED TO LAND ON.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING ARPT FROM THE SE. I CONTACTED TWR AND WAS TOLD TO CALL 3 MI SE FOR A R BASE ENTRY TO RWY 6. AT 3 MI SE, I CALLED AND WAS TOLD TO WATCH FOR TFC ON L BASE FOR RWY 6. I TOLD TWR TFC NOT IN SIGHT. WHEN I FINALLY SAW TFC, IT WAS CLOSE OFF MY L WING ABOUT 300 FT BELOW ME. I WAS TOLD BY TWR THAT I HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE, VERY CLOSE TO LNDG TFC, AND TO MAKE A L 180 DEG TURN AND ENTER FINAL FOR RWY 6. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THE INCIDENT, I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I HAVE BEEN TO THIS ARPT MANY TIMES, BUT ALMOST ALWAYS FROM THE ENE USUALLY LNDG ON RWY 24. THIS TIME I APCHED FROM THE SE FOR A BASE ENTRY TO RWY 6. I WAS INTENT ON LOOKING FOR MY TFC AND MISTOOK RWY 14/32 FOR RWY 6/24. I WAS LOOKING AT THE WRONG RWY AND LOOKING FOR TFC IN THE WRONG PLACE. WHEN I SAW THE TFC, I THOUGHT HE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AND I BECAME CONFUSED, UNTIL THE TWR TOLD ME ABOUT FLYING THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 6. I REALIZE THAT ORIENTATION IS A FULL TIME JOB, ESPECIALLY WHEN FLYING IN THE PATTERN. WHEN I DIDN'T SEE THE TFC, I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THE CTLR AND ASKED FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS. INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN, AND I'M SURE IT WILL BE ON MY MIND WHENEVER I FLY TO ANOTHER ARPT.

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.