RPTR CALLED ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. RPTR CANCELED IFR TO DO 360 DEG TURNS TO GET DOWN; LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY AND BECAME DISORIENTED. WHEN RELOCATING THE ARPT HE ENTERED A R DOWNWIND THINKING IT WAS A L DOWNWIND. AFTER GETTING REORIENTED THE RPTR MADE A LOW APCH AND DEPARTED THE AREA.

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I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN ENRTE FROM BED TO HTO AND WAS BEING WORKED BY NEW YORK APCH. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO NEW YORK BY PVD APCH; I REQUESTED A DSCNT FROM MY CRUISING ALT OF 6000 FT. I WAS GRANTED A DSCNT TO 4000 FT. AS I APCHED MY DEST I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT MY ALT AND REQUESTED LOWER AGAIN. NEW YORK WAS UNABLE TO GRANT THE REQUEST; SO I SLOWED THE ACFT BY 30 KTS FULLY EXPECTING A SLAM DUNK. SURE ENOUGH; 10 MI FROM THE ARPT; I WAS ASKED IF I HAD IT IN SIGHT AND AFTER A MOMENT I CONFIRMED VISUAL CONTACT AND WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. AT THIS TIME I WAS APPROX 8 MI FROM THE ARPT. WITH 3000 FT TO DSND IN A SHORT TIME I REALIZED THERE MIGHT BE A PROB SO I CANCELED IFR SO THAT I COULD MORE EASILY MANEUVER TO LOSE THE ALT AS NECESSARY. I CONTACTED UNICOM AND WAS TOLD THE WIND FAVORED RWY 28. I ANNOUNCED I WAS 5 MI TO THE N AND LNDG. I COMMENCED TWO 360 DEG TURNS AND DROPPED THE GEAR TO EXPEDITE MY DSCNT. AFTER TURNING BACK TOWARDS THE ARPT; I BECAME DISORIENTED. I THOUGHT I WAS SE OF THE ARPT WHEN; IN FACT; I WAS NE. I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS ENTERING A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 28. AS I GOT CLOSER; I REALIZED THAT I WAS NE AND WAS; IN FACT; ENTERING R TFC. I BROKE OFF TO THE E TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO. RATHER THAN FLYING AT PATTERN ALT OVER THE ARPT WITH SEVERAL PLANES IN THE PATTERN; I DECIDED THAT R TFC WOULD BE SAFER AND I COULD FIT INTO THE FLOW MORE EASILY. I CONTINUED AND MADE R TFC. UNICOM BECAME UPSET AND CHASTISED ME; SO I DID A LOW APCH AND DEPARTED. HOW COULD MY CONFUSION BEEN PREVENTED? PLANNING THE APCH FURTHER OUT SO AS NOT TO BE DISTRACTED BY THE SLAM DUNK WHILE I WAS PLANNING IT WOULD HAVE HELPED. FOLLOWING ALONG ON A SECTIONAL WOULD HAVE INCREASED MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. FROM NOW ON; EVEN WHEN IFR; I WILL FOLLOW MY TRACK ON A SECTIONAL. I BECAME COMPLACENT AND ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED.