Narrative:

On descent from the south of the airport (ffc); I monitored AWOS and noted the winds were 210 degrees/10 KTS; slightly favoring runway 13; so I initially mentally began setting up for a right downwind entry for runway 13 (the airport uses r-hand patterns for runway 13). I then saw and heard on the CTAF frequency an aircraft entering a left downwind for runway 31. I requested the runway in use over CTAF and someone responded that winds were basically across the runway and that '31 was being used at falcon field today.' so; I changed my set-up to a 45 degree entry to a left downwind runway 31. I announced at the 45 degree point; on the downwind; turning base and turning final for runway 31. I heard another aircraft broadcast his taxi-out -- I thought he said 31; but in 20/20 retrospect; it may be that he said 13. They sound similar over the radio and I was expecting him to take off runway 31 given my calls and the arrival of the aircraft ahead of me just a min or so earlier on runway 31. As I arrived over the threshold for landing runway 31 I saw on opposite direction cessna coming towards me having departed runway 13 -- if he made a takeoff call I did not hear it. He was already airborne and he turned right to get away from the runway centerline and was climbing well above me at that point. He announced that he would bear right. I landed uneventfully. I was meeting a friend (also a pilot) at the airport and he saw the event and told me that the windsock at my end of the runway showed I was landing into the wind. He also said the opposite direction was indicated by the windsock at the other end of the runway. I believe a contributing cause of the event is the similarity in the sound of the numbers 13 and 31 when heard over the radio. I will emphasize the proper phraseology in the future and question other pilots when there is any possibility of confusion; ie; do not say thirteen or thirty one but rather one three or three one; although that could be easily mistaken as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DA-40 PILOT ON VISUAL APCH TO AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT HAD AN NMAC WITH A CESSNA DEPARTING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: ON DSCNT FROM THE S OF THE ARPT (FFC); I MONITORED AWOS AND NOTED THE WINDS WERE 210 DEGS/10 KTS; SLIGHTLY FAVORING RWY 13; SO I INITIALLY MENTALLY BEGAN SETTING UP FOR A R DOWNWIND ENTRY FOR RWY 13 (THE ARPT USES R-HAND PATTERNS FOR RWY 13). I THEN SAW AND HEARD ON THE CTAF FREQ AN ACFT ENTERING A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31. I REQUESTED THE RWY IN USE OVER CTAF AND SOMEONE RESPONDED THAT WINDS WERE BASICALLY ACROSS THE RWY AND THAT '31 WAS BEING USED AT FALCON FIELD TODAY.' SO; I CHANGED MY SET-UP TO A 45 DEG ENTRY TO A L DOWNWIND RWY 31. I ANNOUNCED AT THE 45 DEG POINT; ON THE DOWNWIND; TURNING BASE AND TURNING FINAL FOR RWY 31. I HEARD ANOTHER ACFT BROADCAST HIS TAXI-OUT -- I THOUGHT HE SAID 31; BUT IN 20/20 RETROSPECT; IT MAY BE THAT HE SAID 13. THEY SOUND SIMILAR OVER THE RADIO AND I WAS EXPECTING HIM TO TAKE OFF RWY 31 GIVEN MY CALLS AND THE ARR OF THE ACFT AHEAD OF ME JUST A MIN OR SO EARLIER ON RWY 31. AS I ARRIVED OVER THE THRESHOLD FOR LNDG RWY 31 I SAW ON OPPOSITE DIRECTION CESSNA COMING TOWARDS ME HAVING DEPARTED RWY 13 -- IF HE MADE A TKOF CALL I DID NOT HEAR IT. HE WAS ALREADY AIRBORNE AND HE TURNED R TO GET AWAY FROM THE RWY CTRLINE AND WAS CLBING WELL ABOVE ME AT THAT POINT. HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD BEAR R. I LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS MEETING A FRIEND (ALSO A PLT) AT THE ARPT AND HE SAW THE EVENT AND TOLD ME THAT THE WINDSOCK AT MY END OF THE RWY SHOWED I WAS LNDG INTO THE WIND. HE ALSO SAID THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WAS INDICATED BY THE WINDSOCK AT THE OTHER END OF THE RWY. I BELIEVE A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF THE EVENT IS THE SIMILARITY IN THE SOUND OF THE NUMBERS 13 AND 31 WHEN HEARD OVER THE RADIO. I WILL EMPHASIZE THE PROPER PHRASEOLOGY IN THE FUTURE AND QUESTION OTHER PLTS WHEN THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY OF CONFUSION; IE; DO NOT SAY THIRTEEN OR THIRTY ONE BUT RATHER ONE THREE OR THREE ONE; ALTHOUGH THAT COULD BE EASILY MISTAKEN 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.