Narrative:

Calistoga is a restr airport opened to the public after having got permission by phone. It has a very short and rough runway surrounded by close mountains. Because of noise abatement procedures, the airplanes have to land on runway 28L and takeoff on runway 10R regardless of wind conditions. There is a heavy glider activity that use left pattern for 28L, while the tow plane use right hand pattern for runway 28L. In 5/89 the PIC, a private pilot, and myself, after having got the permission by phone went there. 10 mi before we broadcast our position and intentions in the CTAF reply was to make right traffic for 28L. As we were well above both patterns altitudes of gliders and aircraft, another voice told us to use the standard left pattern for 28L. So, we followed the instruction and landed. For the takeoff, we cleared the area carefully and saw 2 gliders coming to land. After having left the gliders land and broadcasting position, intention and scan for other traffic. There was not--we takeoff on runway 10R. On the roll both of us spotted a new glider appearing from the ridge of the mountain coming to land on runway 28L. Aborting the takeoff in a too short remaining runway and with a tailwind was not safe. Also we were at liftoff speed, so the only safe action to clear the runway was to takeoff immediately and maneuver to clear the way for the glider, as I advised the pilot--so he did. In that situation, there was no human performance consideration. But, I think that any pilot who goes there for the first time would be wise to be accompanied by someone who knows the place, or an instrument, as to realize all the factors he will have to deal with when coming to calistoga airpark.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AVOIDANCE MANEUVER BY ACFT DEPARTING NON TWR CONTROLLED ARPT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION LNDG SAILPLANE.

Narrative: CALISTOGA IS A RESTR ARPT OPENED TO THE PUBLIC AFTER HAVING GOT PERMISSION BY PHONE. IT HAS A VERY SHORT AND ROUGH RWY SURROUNDED BY CLOSE MOUNTAINS. BECAUSE OF NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS, THE AIRPLANES HAVE TO LAND ON RWY 28L AND TKOF ON RWY 10R REGARDLESS OF WIND CONDITIONS. THERE IS A HEAVY GLIDER ACTIVITY THAT USE LEFT PATTERN FOR 28L, WHILE THE TOW PLANE USE RIGHT HAND PATTERN FOR RWY 28L. IN 5/89 THE PIC, A PVT PLT, AND MYSELF, AFTER HAVING GOT THE PERMISSION BY PHONE WENT THERE. 10 MI BEFORE WE BROADCAST OUR POS AND INTENTIONS IN THE CTAF REPLY WAS TO MAKE RIGHT TFC FOR 28L. AS WE WERE WELL ABOVE BOTH PATTERNS ALTS OF GLIDERS AND ACFT, ANOTHER VOICE TOLD US TO USE THE STANDARD LEFT PATTERN FOR 28L. SO, WE FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTION AND LANDED. FOR THE TKOF, WE CLRED THE AREA CAREFULLY AND SAW 2 GLIDERS COMING TO LAND. AFTER HAVING LEFT THE GLIDERS LAND AND BROADCASTING POS, INTENTION AND SCAN FOR OTHER TFC. THERE WAS NOT--WE TKOF ON RWY 10R. ON THE ROLL BOTH OF US SPOTTED A NEW GLIDER APPEARING FROM THE RIDGE OF THE MOUNTAIN COMING TO LAND ON RWY 28L. ABORTING THE TKOF IN A TOO SHORT REMAINING RWY AND WITH A TAILWIND WAS NOT SAFE. ALSO WE WERE AT LIFTOFF SPD, SO THE ONLY SAFE ACTION TO CLR THE RWY WAS TO TKOF IMMEDIATELY AND MANEUVER TO CLR THE WAY FOR THE GLIDER, AS I ADVISED THE PLT--SO HE DID. IN THAT SITUATION, THERE WAS NO HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATION. BUT, I THINK THAT ANY PLT WHO GOES THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME WOULD BE WISE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE PLACE, OR AN INSTR, AS TO REALIZE ALL THE FACTORS HE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHEN COMING TO CALISTOGA AIRPARK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.