AutI flew into Poplar Grove's (C77) fly in today and it was a neat event. My flight was uneventful IFR until I was on the RNAV-A approach into the airport. I was just entering a broken layer at 2500' and an aircraft departed 12 and flew strait at my path. Rockford approach broke me off and I got to do the approach again. I'm not convinced that aircraft was legal, on the second approach I was circling at minimums and a lot of VFR traffic was also scud running in at 500' to the field.
Now, I have a lot of opinions on that and none of them are good but they would have been in class G airspace so as far as I know it's legal. I'd argue it's dumb as hell but also they're using 12 instead of 30 so I have to join the pattern. Now here is where I mess up. I sidestep left to join the downwind, "I'm making left traffic because I just went left" my brain said. I'm frazzled from the unexpected VFR traffic that has surprised me twice now. So I flew right traffic while making incorrect calls and I notice after I land and I'm taxing. This frazzles me further, but I taxi to park where the marshals put me. The final Marshall let's me know it's left traffic, he was polite about it. I apologized, it was my fault completely. I was letting things get to me while scraping clouds at minimums. Going missed was a real possibility but who knows where those sky cowboys were at.
I get out, start walking around. I find a restroom and when I'm washing my hands I remember I just landed at an untowered airport IFR. I didn't close my flight plan! Apparently the national clearance delivery hotline isn't a thing anymore so I eventually find a number for Chicago approach and get my plan closed. Then I sat down for a while to just let my brain settle.
My departure was a different kind of misadventure I'll elaborate on but the event it self was well run and fun. I'd recommend going if you're nearby but I wouldn't recommend coming in VFR at 500' AGL just scraping the clouds. They did eventually lift to 1500' AGL or so and then a lot more aircraft came in.
rdm
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