Narrative:

I am a private pilot in training. I was on a solo cross country from prescott direct to hii. While en route to hii, I got the ATIS and made a radio call on the CTAF, stating my intentions. I was aware to use runway 32 (calm wind runway) and to enter on a left 45 degree for the downwind leg. When I arrived at hii, there was no pattern activity occurring. I entered on what I presumed to be a left 45 degree for runway 32. However, it turned out to be a left 45 degree for runway 14. Realizing my mistake, I turned crosswind and entered the left downwind for runway 32, making sure at all times that there was no traffic in the area. After correcting my mistake, I did a normal traffic pattern and landed safely on runway 32. Because there was no traffic in the area, I posed no danger to the surrounding area. However, I was close to the mountain tops bordering the left downwind of runway 14, which I believe could have been a safety concern. Better preparation and situational awareness could have prevented this incident from occurring. Even though no lives or property were threatened, I was quite lucky to have escaped what could have resulted in an accident or collision. I hope that this report will be a good lesson for pilots in the future, to be well prepared for the flight, no matter how many times it has been done, and to always be on alert.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCHING HII VFR FOR LNDG, A C172 LOW TIME PLT ENTERS INCORRECT TFC PATTERN FOR CALM WIND RWY.

Narrative: I AM A PVT PLT IN TRAINING. I WAS ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY FROM PRESCOTT DIRECT TO HII. WHILE ENRTE TO HII, I GOT THE ATIS AND MADE A RADIO CALL ON THE CTAF, STATING MY INTENTIONS. I WAS AWARE TO USE RWY 32 (CALM WIND RWY) AND TO ENTER ON A L 45 DEG FOR THE DOWNWIND LEG. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HII, THERE WAS NO PATTERN ACTIVITY OCCURRING. I ENTERED ON WHAT I PRESUMED TO BE A L 45 DEG FOR RWY 32. HOWEVER, IT TURNED OUT TO BE A L 45 DEG FOR RWY 14. REALIZING MY MISTAKE, I TURNED XWIND AND ENTERED THE L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32, MAKING SURE AT ALL TIMES THAT THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA. AFTER CORRECTING MY MISTAKE, I DID A NORMAL TFC PATTERN AND LANDED SAFELY ON RWY 32. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA, I POSED NO DANGER TO THE SURROUNDING AREA. HOWEVER, I WAS CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAIN TOPS BORDERING THE L DOWNWIND OF RWY 14, WHICH I BELIEVE COULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY CONCERN. BETTER PREPARATION AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT FROM OCCURRING. EVEN THOUGH NO LIVES OR PROPERTY WERE THREATENED, I WAS QUITE LUCKY TO HAVE ESCAPED WHAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT OR COLLISION. I HOPE THAT THIS RPT WILL BE A GOOD LESSON FOR PLTS IN THE FUTURE, TO BE WELL PREPARED FOR THE FLT, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT HAS BEEN DONE, AND TO ALWAYS BE ON ALERT.

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.