Narrative:

I was approaching brackett field (poc) from the northeast for landing. I received the current ATIS which indicated landing on runway 8L/right. Due to prevailing winds, landing runway 24L/right is the normal landing direction. I failed to register this fact as I approached the airport. The traffic was very busy this day, but I was able to report location and intentions to land before entering the class D airspace. Tower approved continuation into the airspace, but did not call for left downwind entry to runway 8L. The tower did not issue instructions to report at the target shopping center (an often used visual reference on the los angeles terminal area map), but I did so. No further instructions were given as a result of my report. I was positionally set up for either 45 degree entry into a left downwind to runway 8L or right base to runway 24R. At tpa (1000 ft AGL) within 1 mi of the airport, I was still not assigned an entry into the traffic pattern. I began turning left to enter a right base to runway 24R. It was clearly my error to start a right base entry to runway 24R. This resulted in a heading directly toward departing traffic. I saw the traffic at the same time the controller demanded an immediate climb to 2500 ft MSL (1500 ft AGL). He did not provide a heading but said I would be resequenced. (After landing, I called the tower to discuss the incident and learned that he had intended me to continue south over the field to be resequenced for a right downwind entry to landing on runway 8R.) I initiated a climbing right turn to comply to the altitude assignment. As I turned to a northwest heading, I realized I was close behind another aircraft who had just entered a left downwind to runway 8L. (This aircraft may have already been in closed traffic.) the controller, by now very upset with me, called again for 2500 ft MSL but now a southerly heading. I turned south and maintained 2500 ft MSL heading until given a clearance to make right traffic for landing on runway 8R. In the process, I came within approximately 400 ft vertical separation from the departing aircraft (probably a C172 or C182). We were closing nearly head-on (within 30 degrees). After my subsequent right turn, I was approximately 500 ft behind and 100 ft above the aircraft (probably a piper cherokee) in downwind to runway 8L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 LNDG POC ENTERS WRONG TFC PATTERN AND EXPERIENCES CONFLICT.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING BRACKETT FIELD (POC) FROM THE NE FOR LNDG. I RECEIVED THE CURRENT ATIS WHICH INDICATED LNDG ON RWY 8L/R. DUE TO PREVAILING WINDS, LNDG RWY 24L/R IS THE NORMAL LNDG DIRECTION. I FAILED TO REGISTER THIS FACT AS I APCHED THE ARPT. THE TFC WAS VERY BUSY THIS DAY, BUT I WAS ABLE TO RPT LOCATION AND INTENTIONS TO LAND BEFORE ENTERING THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. TWR APPROVED CONTINUATION INTO THE AIRSPACE, BUT DID NOT CALL FOR L DOWNWIND ENTRY TO RWY 8L. THE TWR DID NOT ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO RPT AT THE TARGET SHOPPING CTR (AN OFTEN USED VISUAL REF ON THE LOS ANGELES TERMINAL AREA MAP), BUT I DID SO. NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN AS A RESULT OF MY RPT. I WAS POSITIONALLY SET UP FOR EITHER 45 DEG ENTRY INTO A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 8L OR R BASE TO RWY 24R. AT TPA (1000 FT AGL) WITHIN 1 MI OF THE ARPT, I WAS STILL NOT ASSIGNED AN ENTRY INTO THE TFC PATTERN. I BEGAN TURNING L TO ENTER A R BASE TO RWY 24R. IT WAS CLRLY MY ERROR TO START A R BASE ENTRY TO RWY 24R. THIS RESULTED IN A HDG DIRECTLY TOWARD DEPARTING TFC. I SAW THE TFC AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 2500 FT MSL (1500 FT AGL). HE DID NOT PROVIDE A HDG BUT SAID I WOULD BE RESEQUENCED. (AFTER LNDG, I CALLED THE TWR TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT AND LEARNED THAT HE HAD INTENDED ME TO CONTINUE S OVER THE FIELD TO BE RESEQUENCED FOR A R DOWNWIND ENTRY TO LNDG ON RWY 8R.) I INITIATED A CLBING R TURN TO COMPLY TO THE ALT ASSIGNMENT. AS I TURNED TO A NW HDG, I REALIZED I WAS CLOSE BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT WHO HAD JUST ENTERED A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 8L. (THIS ACFT MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN CLOSED TFC.) THE CTLR, BY NOW VERY UPSET WITH ME, CALLED AGAIN FOR 2500 FT MSL BUT NOW A SOUTHERLY HDG. I TURNED S AND MAINTAINED 2500 FT MSL HEADING UNTIL GIVEN A CLRNC TO MAKE R TFC FOR LNDG ON RWY 8R. IN THE PROCESS, I CAME WITHIN APPROX 400 FT VERT SEPARATION FROM THE DEPARTING ACFT (PROBABLY A C172 OR C182). WE WERE CLOSING NEARLY HEAD-ON (WITHIN 30 DEGS). AFTER MY SUBSEQUENT R TURN, I WAS APPROX 500 FT BEHIND AND 100 FT ABOVE THE ACFT (PROBABLY A PIPER CHEROKEE) IN DOWNWIND TO RWY 8L.

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.