C182RG pilot enters the traffic pattern incorrectly at cre.

Attributes
ACN	705182
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cre.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cre.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 340 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	705182
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Returning to cre from 60J; I was approximately 10 mi northeast of cre at 800 ft; pattern altitude; when I called up ATIS and obtained local altimeter; winds; ceiling; and 'runway 23 visual approach in use.' runway 23 is charted as a right pattern entry; and that is the pattern I flew when I arrived at cre for the first time earlier in the week. When I departed cre on runway 23 earlier in the day for 60J; the right pattern was in use. Upon initial contact with tower controller; I was told I was 8 mi northeast of the airport; and report '2 mi left base.' I interpreted this to mean that I would be turning left onto base leg in the right pattern since I was approaching the airport from the north; and traffic on downwind was flying from the south. I adjusted heading slightly to the right to bring me to the northwest side of the airport; to set up for a left turn onto the base leg for sequencing with right traffic. At 3 mi out; controller notified me that I was on the wrong side of the airport; he was using left pattern for runway 23; and I had crossed the approach end of the runway when he had other traffic on a straight-in approach; 1 mi or more behind me. I was given vectors for landing on runway 23 without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182RG PLT ENTERS THE TFC PATTERN INCORRECTLY AT CRE.

Narrative: RETURNING TO CRE FROM 60J; I WAS APPROX 10 MI NE OF CRE AT 800 FT; PATTERN ALT; WHEN I CALLED UP ATIS AND OBTAINED LCL ALTIMETER; WINDS; CEILING; AND 'RWY 23 VISUAL APCH IN USE.' RWY 23 IS CHARTED AS A R PATTERN ENTRY; AND THAT IS THE PATTERN I FLEW WHEN I ARRIVED AT CRE FOR THE FIRST TIME EARLIER IN THE WK. WHEN I DEPARTED CRE ON RWY 23 EARLIER IN THE DAY FOR 60J; THE R PATTERN WAS IN USE. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH TWR CTLR; I WAS TOLD I WAS 8 MI NE OF THE ARPT; AND RPT '2 MI L BASE.' I INTERPED THIS TO MEAN THAT I WOULD BE TURNING L ONTO BASE LEG IN THE R PATTERN SINCE I WAS APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE N; AND TFC ON DOWNWIND WAS FLYING FROM THE S. I ADJUSTED HDG SLIGHTLY TO THE R TO BRING ME TO THE NW SIDE OF THE ARPT; TO SET UP FOR A L TURN ONTO THE BASE LEG FOR SEQUENCING WITH R TFC. AT 3 MI OUT; CTLR NOTIFIED ME THAT I WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ARPT; HE WAS USING L PATTERN FOR RWY 23; AND I HAD CROSSED THE APCH END OF THE RWY WHEN HE HAD OTHER TFC ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH; 1 MI OR MORE BEHIND ME. I WAS GIVEN VECTORS FOR LNDG ON RWY 23 WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.