C172 PLT RPTR BECAME DISORIENTED WHEN ENTERING TFC PATTERN AND DIDN'T COMPLY WITH CLRNC. INADVERTENTLY FLEW OVER THE ACTIVE RWY WITH ACFT ON APCH.
Synopsis
C172 PLT RPTR BECAME DISORIENTED WHEN ENTERING TFC PATTERN AND DIDN'T COMPLY WITH CLRNC. INADVERTENTLY FLEW OVER THE ACTIVE RWY WITH ACFT ON APCH.
Narrative
I WAS FLYING INTO AZO ARPT WHILE THE SUN HAD SET LESS THAN 1 HR BEFORE. THE ARPT IS NOT ONE I HAVE REGULARLY FLOWN INTO; AND HAD NEVER FLOWN INTO AFTER SUNSET. I WAS FLYING INBOUND FROM THE N AND HAD SPOTTED THE ARPT BEACON ABOUT 15 MI OUT. THE APCH CTLR HAD ME FLY 160 DEG HDG TO SET ME UP FOR A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 35. ONCE I TOLD HIM I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT HE HANDED ME OFF TO THE CTL TWR AND SAID TO FLY DIRECT TO THE ARPT. I HAD AN ARPT DIAGRAM IN THE ACFT THAT I WAS STUDYING THE WHOLE WAY. AT THE 'X' MARKED ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM I INCLUDED; I GOT DISORIENTED AND PROCEEDED TO FLY THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 5; THINKING THAT IT WAS THE CORRECT RWY. I ENDED UP XING OVER THE ACTIVE RWY WHERE THE TOUCHDOWN POINT IS. THE CTLR THEN ASKED WHAT HDG I WAS ON AND THEN SET ME UP FOR A L DOWNWIND. THE PROB IN THIS SIT WAS NOT ONLY DID I FLY AT PATTERN ALT DIRECTLY OVER THE ACTIVE RWY; BUT THAT THERE WERE 2 PLANES ON FINAL AND I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AFTER I WAS ALREADY OVER RWY 35. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS USED MY HDG INDICATOR TO DETERMINE MY DIRECTION. I ALSO COULD HAVE ASKED FOR VECTORS OR HAD THE RWY LIGHTING ENHANCED. I COULD HAVE ALSO MENTIONED TO APCH THAT I WAS FAIRLY NEW TO FLYING INTO THE ARPT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.