Narrative:

I was approaching top airport in topeka with the intent of landing my single engine plane. I contacted the tower and told them I was about 5 mi northeast of the airport. The tower responded telling me to report right downwind for runway 36. I maneuvered my plane south; then headed due west so that I would enter the pattern midfield. I was now flying due west; the sun was directly shining onto my canopy and I began having problems seeing the airfield. I entered the pattern midfield and reported my position as right downwind for runway 36. At about the same time; I heard the control clear another single engine plane for left traffic to runway 36 as well. While flying right downwind for runway 36; I could see the runway fairly well and tell that I was flying parallel to it. However; as I turned right base I once again was headed directly into the sun and began having problems seeing out of the canopy again as the glare was very strong. After a period of flying right base for runway 36; I turned for final to runway 36 though; because of the glare; I was not sure where I was in relationship to runway 36. As I continued on final to runway 36 I saw in front of me what looked like a runway; however it did not appear to have any numbers painted on it as do the other runways at top. At this point the sun was no longer in my eyes; so I could clearly see the airport; but still I could not make out any numbers on the runway. It also did not appear to have the usual runway markings (chevrons; threshold). As I got close to the runway entrance; I decided that I must have flown past the runway during my right base; and was now lined up to land on a taxiway or something else. (Later; I found out that I was indeed on final for runway 36; but the numbers and runway markings were so faded that they can't be seen at this time of day.) instead of landing; I maneuvered west of this runway about 300 ft and flew parallel to it and contacted the tower stating 'I have lost sight of the runway.' while making this radio call; I noticed the second aircraft heading towards me as they were making a left traffic for runway 36. The second plane was flying parallel to me; about 1/2 mi ahead of me; but about 2000 ft to my left and about 200 ft higher; so we were not on a collision course at that time. The tower first told the other plane to make a right 360 degree turn and then told me to make a left 360 degree turn. As a left 360 degree turn would place me directly into the path of the other plane; I optioned to wait for the other plane to respond to the radio call; and to begin its right 360 degree turn before I responded and began my left 360 degrees. After 5 or 10 seconds; with the other plane still ahead of me; I saw him initiate a right turn. About this same time; the controller radioed me (loudly) to make a left 360 degrees immediately. As it was now safe to do so; I began my left 360 degrees. As I flew back south I looked again for runway 36; but still could not identify it; then turned east. I called the controller and told him that I still could not find runway 36 and asked him to identify it. He stated that I just flew past it. At this time I realized that I had been on final to runway 36 originally and that it was not a taxiway or something. As I flew east from the airport; I radioed the tower and asked the controller if he wanted me to exit the pattern and reenter it again. The controller told me to do a right 360 degrees and follow another plane which was going to land on runway 36. I sighted the other plane and followed it in to runway 36 and landed. When I got home I called my old flight instructor and told him about what happened. He told me that I was correct in not landing on a runway that I could not identify; but that I should have first called the tower and asked them if I was lined up on the correct runway. Also; I should try to approach the airport with the sun to my back next time. I agreed; but also thought the runway markings should be immediately repainted so that this doesn't happen to someone else. I also asked him about the controller's instructions to execute a left 360 degrees that would take me into the path of the other plane; he said I was correct not to do it until the other plane had begun its right 360 degrees; but that I should have radioed the tower and told them thati would wait until the other plane turns first. I agreed with his advice as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPORT PLT AT TOP EXPERIENCES NMAC WHEN COMMENCING A GAR.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING TOP ARPT IN TOPEKA WITH THE INTENT OF LNDG MY SINGLE ENG PLANE. I CONTACTED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS ABOUT 5 MI NE OF THE ARPT. THE TWR RESPONDED TELLING ME TO RPT R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36. I MANEUVERED MY PLANE S; THEN HEADED DUE W SO THAT I WOULD ENTER THE PATTERN MIDFIELD. I WAS NOW FLYING DUE W; THE SUN WAS DIRECTLY SHINING ONTO MY CANOPY AND I BEGAN HAVING PROBS SEEING THE AIRFIELD. I ENTERED THE PATTERN MIDFIELD AND RPTED MY POS AS R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME; I HEARD THE CTL CLR ANOTHER SINGLE ENG PLANE FOR L TFC TO RWY 36 AS WELL. WHILE FLYING R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36; I COULD SEE THE RWY FAIRLY WELL AND TELL THAT I WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO IT. HOWEVER; AS I TURNED R BASE I ONCE AGAIN WAS HEADED DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN AND BEGAN HAVING PROBS SEEING OUT OF THE CANOPY AGAIN AS THE GLARE WAS VERY STRONG. AFTER A PERIOD OF FLYING R BASE FOR RWY 36; I TURNED FOR FINAL TO RWY 36 THOUGH; BECAUSE OF THE GLARE; I WAS NOT SURE WHERE I WAS IN RELATIONSHIP TO RWY 36. AS I CONTINUED ON FINAL TO RWY 36 I SAW IN FRONT OF ME WHAT LOOKED LIKE A RWY; HOWEVER IT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY NUMBERS PAINTED ON IT AS DO THE OTHER RWYS AT TOP. AT THIS POINT THE SUN WAS NO LONGER IN MY EYES; SO I COULD CLRLY SEE THE ARPT; BUT STILL I COULD NOT MAKE OUT ANY NUMBERS ON THE RWY. IT ALSO DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE THE USUAL RWY MARKINGS (CHEVRONS; THRESHOLD). AS I GOT CLOSE TO THE RWY ENTRANCE; I DECIDED THAT I MUST HAVE FLOWN PAST THE RWY DURING MY R BASE; AND WAS NOW LINED UP TO LAND ON A TXWY OR SOMETHING ELSE. (LATER; I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS INDEED ON FINAL FOR RWY 36; BUT THE NUMBERS AND RWY MARKINGS WERE SO FADED THAT THEY CAN'T BE SEEN AT THIS TIME OF DAY.) INSTEAD OF LNDG; I MANEUVERED W OF THIS RWY ABOUT 300 FT AND FLEW PARALLEL TO IT AND CONTACTED THE TWR STATING 'I HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY.' WHILE MAKING THIS RADIO CALL; I NOTICED THE SECOND ACFT HEADING TOWARDS ME AS THEY WERE MAKING A L TFC FOR RWY 36. THE SECOND PLANE WAS FLYING PARALLEL TO ME; ABOUT 1/2 MI AHEAD OF ME; BUT ABOUT 2000 FT TO MY L AND ABOUT 200 FT HIGHER; SO WE WERE NOT ON A COLLISION COURSE AT THAT TIME. THE TWR FIRST TOLD THE OTHER PLANE TO MAKE A R 360 DEG TURN AND THEN TOLD ME TO MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN. AS A L 360 DEG TURN WOULD PLACE ME DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OF THE OTHER PLANE; I OPTIONED TO WAIT FOR THE OTHER PLANE TO RESPOND TO THE RADIO CALL; AND TO BEGIN ITS R 360 DEG TURN BEFORE I RESPONDED AND BEGAN MY L 360 DEGS. AFTER 5 OR 10 SECONDS; WITH THE OTHER PLANE STILL AHEAD OF ME; I SAW HIM INITIATE A R TURN. ABOUT THIS SAME TIME; THE CTLR RADIOED ME (LOUDLY) TO MAKE A L 360 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. AS IT WAS NOW SAFE TO DO SO; I BEGAN MY L 360 DEGS. AS I FLEW BACK S I LOOKED AGAIN FOR RWY 36; BUT STILL COULD NOT IDENT IT; THEN TURNED E. I CALLED THE CTLR AND TOLD HIM THAT I STILL COULD NOT FIND RWY 36 AND ASKED HIM TO IDENT IT. HE STATED THAT I JUST FLEW PAST IT. AT THIS TIME I REALIZED THAT I HAD BEEN ON FINAL TO RWY 36 ORIGINALLY AND THAT IT WAS NOT A TXWY OR SOMETHING. AS I FLEW E FROM THE ARPT; I RADIOED THE TWR AND ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED ME TO EXIT THE PATTERN AND REENTER IT AGAIN. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO DO A R 360 DEGS AND FOLLOW ANOTHER PLANE WHICH WAS GOING TO LAND ON RWY 36. I SIGHTED THE OTHER PLANE AND FOLLOWED IT IN TO RWY 36 AND LANDED. WHEN I GOT HOME I CALLED MY OLD FLT INSTRUCTOR AND TOLD HIM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS CORRECT IN NOT LNDG ON A RWY THAT I COULD NOT IDENT; BUT THAT I SHOULD HAVE FIRST CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED THEM IF I WAS LINED UP ON THE CORRECT RWY. ALSO; I SHOULD TRY TO APCH THE ARPT WITH THE SUN TO MY BACK NEXT TIME. I AGREED; BUT ALSO THOUGHT THE RWY MARKINGS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REPAINTED SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. I ALSO ASKED HIM ABOUT THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO EXECUTE A L 360 DEGS THAT WOULD TAKE ME INTO THE PATH OF THE OTHER PLANE; HE SAID I WAS CORRECT NOT TO DO IT UNTIL THE OTHER PLANE HAD BEGUN ITS R 360 DEGS; BUT THAT I SHOULD HAVE RADIOED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM THATI WOULD WAIT UNTIL THE OTHER PLANE TURNS FIRST. I AGREED WITH HIS ADVICE AS WELL.

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.