Narrative:

I was just about to finish a short (40 NM) flight from ony to sps on oct/wed/03, at just before noon, when I mistakenly started the final approach to the wrong runway. Sps is operated on the sheppard air force base. All of the runways, txwys, and ramp areas are very long and wide, and they look almost overwhelming down low on approach. I was working with sps approach control as I entered class D, and was following their directives with no problems. Although I am familiar with the environment around sps, I had not actually landed there in several yrs until just 5 days before with another pilot who was very familiar with the procedures. I was asked by approach if I was familiar with the runway 17 procedures and I gave an 'affirmative' reply because I was. I even asked the tower if I could land 'long' which is normal procedure for such a long runway with the taxiway to GA parking at the very end. The approach to land runway 17 has to be flown at an angled final approach in order to not intrude on runway 15R, which overlaps any kind of straight in final approach. The visibility was excellent and I had diverted my attention to looking for a recommended visual fix for the approach by the pilot who was with me a few days before. I believe that this was the reason that I inadvertently started the approach to runway 15R instead of my assigned runway 17 clearance to land. The tower told me to turn south, and I just thought that they were trying to line me up for the angled final approach. I was turning right to the south when tower told me to climb immediately back to the west. I did so without any hesitation not knowing immediately what the problem was. After turning to 270 degrees, I realized what I had done and asked if they wanted me to continue west or if I could turn left and make the proper approach to runway 17. Tower cleared me to land and I apologized for the mistake. The controller did not seem to be too upset and I assume that I didn't cause any dangerous situation at the moment. The rest of the approach and landing was uneventful. I am very disappointed in myself for this incident, although I am told that it happens fairly often at sps. I know that I have learned from this and feel confident that I will never let it happen again at this airport or any other.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182 CLRED FOR AN APCH TO RWY 17 AT SPS LINES UP FOR RWY 15R INSTEAD. MAKES A TWR DIRECTED GAR.

Narrative: I WAS JUST ABOUT TO FINISH A SHORT (40 NM) FLT FROM ONY TO SPS ON OCT/WED/03, AT JUST BEFORE NOON, WHEN I MISTAKENLY STARTED THE FINAL APCH TO THE WRONG RWY. SPS IS OPERATED ON THE SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE. ALL OF THE RWYS, TXWYS, AND RAMP AREAS ARE VERY LONG AND WIDE, AND THEY LOOK ALMOST OVERWHELMING DOWN LOW ON APCH. I WAS WORKING WITH SPS APCH CTL AS I ENTERED CLASS D, AND WAS FOLLOWING THEIR DIRECTIVES WITH NO PROBS. ALTHOUGH I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND SPS, I HAD NOT ACTUALLY LANDED THERE IN SEVERAL YRS UNTIL JUST 5 DAYS BEFORE WITH ANOTHER PLT WHO WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCS. I WAS ASKED BY APCH IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE RWY 17 PROCS AND I GAVE AN 'AFFIRMATIVE' REPLY BECAUSE I WAS. I EVEN ASKED THE TWR IF I COULD LAND 'LONG' WHICH IS NORMAL PROC FOR SUCH A LONG RWY WITH THE TXWY TO GA PARKING AT THE VERY END. THE APCH TO LAND RWY 17 HAS TO BE FLOWN AT AN ANGLED FINAL APCH IN ORDER TO NOT INTRUDE ON RWY 15R, WHICH OVERLAPS ANY KIND OF STRAIGHT IN FINAL APCH. THE VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT AND I HAD DIVERTED MY ATTN TO LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDED VISUAL FIX FOR THE APCH BY THE PLT WHO WAS WITH ME A FEW DAYS BEFORE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS THE REASON THAT I INADVERTENTLY STARTED THE APCH TO RWY 15R INSTEAD OF MY ASSIGNED RWY 17 CLRNC TO LAND. THE TWR TOLD ME TO TURN S, AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO LINE ME UP FOR THE ANGLED FINAL APCH. I WAS TURNING R TO THE S WHEN TWR TOLD ME TO CLB IMMEDIATELY BACK TO THE W. I DID SO WITHOUT ANY HESITATION NOT KNOWING IMMEDIATELY WHAT THE PROB WAS. AFTER TURNING TO 270 DEGS, I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE AND ASKED IF THEY WANTED ME TO CONTINUE W OR IF I COULD TURN L AND MAKE THE PROPER APCH TO RWY 17. TWR CLRED ME TO LAND AND I APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISTAKE. THE CTLR DID NOT SEEM TO BE TOO UPSET AND I ASSUME THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE ANY DANGEROUS SIT AT THE MOMENT. THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF FOR THIS INCIDENT, ALTHOUGH I AM TOLD THAT IT HAPPENS FAIRLY OFTEN AT SPS. I KNOW THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS AND FEEL CONFIDENT THAT I WILL NEVER LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN AT THIS ARPT OR ANY OTHER.

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.