Narrative:

I called in to tower over the shipyard and received instructions to land on runway 8 and report left base. I got confused and instead of going to runway 8; I proceeded to runway 26. Because of all the radio traffic; I had to extend what would have been base for runway 26. Once I did turn and report; I realized that I was on the wrong runway and reported to the tower that I would turn right and to the south with the intention to clear the runway. Tower told me to turn left which put me farther into the traffic pattern. Radio traffic at this time was confusing with the tower continually asking me where I was and I was responding incorrectly; but trying to clear the runway traffic pattern. It was at this time I saw the departing aircraft and descended to about 500 ft to avoid a collision. I cleared the aircraft about 700-1000 ft. I continued to the south and did right 360 degree turns as requested by the tower until I was told to land. Contributing factors: stress on pilot. High volume of radio traffic (some needless). Long lead time to turn without follow-up by tower or pilot. Corrective actions: reduce stress or don't fly. Better/closer contact with tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR SMA STUDENT PLT INBOUND TO LFI; INSTRUCTED TO RPT BASE FOR RWY 8; WAS CONFUSED AND ENTERED BASE FOR RWY 26; CONFLICTING WITH DEP TFC.

Narrative: I CALLED IN TO TWR OVER THE SHIPYARD AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO LAND ON RWY 8 AND RPT L BASE. I GOT CONFUSED AND INSTEAD OF GOING TO RWY 8; I PROCEEDED TO RWY 26. BECAUSE OF ALL THE RADIO TFC; I HAD TO EXTEND WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BASE FOR RWY 26. ONCE I DID TURN AND RPT; I REALIZED THAT I WAS ON THE WRONG RWY AND RPTED TO THE TWR THAT I WOULD TURN R AND TO THE S WITH THE INTENTION TO CLR THE RWY. TWR TOLD ME TO TURN L WHICH PUT ME FARTHER INTO THE TFC PATTERN. RADIO TFC AT THIS TIME WAS CONFUSING WITH THE TWR CONTINUALLY ASKING ME WHERE I WAS AND I WAS RESPONDING INCORRECTLY; BUT TRYING TO CLR THE RWY TFC PATTERN. IT WAS AT THIS TIME I SAW THE DEPARTING ACFT AND DSNDED TO ABOUT 500 FT TO AVOID A COLLISION. I CLRED THE ACFT ABOUT 700-1000 FT. I CONTINUED TO THE S AND DID R 360 DEG TURNS AS REQUESTED BY THE TWR UNTIL I WAS TOLD TO LAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: STRESS ON PLT. HIGH VOLUME OF RADIO TFC (SOME NEEDLESS). LONG LEAD TIME TO TURN WITHOUT FOLLOW-UP BY TWR OR PLT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: REDUCE STRESS OR DON'T FLY. BETTER/CLOSER CONTACT WITH TWR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.