Narrative:

Inbound to bih from mmh, called unicom 20 mi northwest for landing and traffic advisory. They advised left traffic 16, no reported traffic. I announced my intentions to overfly the airport for left traffic 16. 20, 15, 10, 5, 2 mi from the airport I updated my position on unicom. Only aircraft in vicinity was a helicopter, low-level, no factor. Overhead at pattern altitude I announced I was turning left downwind for 16. As I started my turn I spotted a sailplane, same altitude, less than 200' horizontal. I took evasive action, nose down and hard left turn to avoid a midair. Upon landing the unicom operator came out and said I had caught his attention and that he had never seen the glider until I had banked to avoid him. The sailplane landed. The glider remained on an active runway until someone helped push him off the runway. I went over to the glider pilot and asked if he realized how closed we had come. He said nothing. I asked if he had a radio. He said yes. I told him I had made detailed position and intention reports and why hadn't he. His reply: 'I don't have a chart, do I don't know the frequency.' I advised him of the danger of soaring downwind of an active runway and using the unicom. He didn't care and wasn't listening. Due to his careless attitude, it was not use reasoning with him. I know a radio is not required at uncontrolled airports, but just like if you have a transponder, you have to use it, so it should be with radio--have on, use it. Also he should be educated on carrying a sectional and using the unicom. And as always the most dangerous part of an aircraft is the pilot. The glider pilot needs some attitude adjustments--maybe a safety counselor or the FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC AT A NON TWR ARPT UNICOM BETWEEN AN SMA ATX AND AN SPN. ATX ACFT X OVERFLEW ARPT AT TRAFFIC PATTERN ALT AND TURNED INTO DOWNWIND, WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED SPN Y ON A DOWNWIND. SPN LPT ADMITTED TO NOT MONITORING NOR KNOWING UNICOM FREQ, EVEN THOUGH EQUIPPED WITH RADIO.

Narrative: INBND TO BIH FROM MMH, CALLED UNICOM 20 MI NW FOR LNDG AND TFC ADVISORY. THEY ADVISED LEFT TFC 16, NO RPTED TFC. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS TO OVERFLY THE ARPT FOR LEFT TFC 16. 20, 15, 10, 5, 2 MI FROM THE ARPT I UPDATED MY POS ON UNICOM. ONLY ACFT IN VICINITY WAS A HELI, LOW-LEVEL, NO FACTOR. OVERHEAD AT PATTERN ALT I ANNOUNCED I WAS TURNING LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 16. AS I STARTED MY TURN I SPOTTED A SAILPLANE, SAME ALT, LESS THAN 200' HORIZ. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION, NOSE DOWN AND HARD LEFT TURN TO AVOID A MIDAIR. UPON LNDG THE UNICOM OPERATOR CAME OUT AND SAID I HAD CAUGHT HIS ATTN AND THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN THE GLIDER UNTIL I HAD BANKED TO AVOID HIM. THE SAILPLANE LANDED. THE GLIDER REMAINED ON AN ACTIVE RWY UNTIL SOMEONE HELPED PUSH HIM OFF THE RWY. I WENT OVER TO THE GLIDER PLT AND ASKED IF HE REALIZED HOW CLOSED WE HAD COME. HE SAID NOTHING. I ASKED IF HE HAD A RADIO. HE SAID YES. I TOLD HIM I HAD MADE DETAILED POS AND INTENTION RPTS AND WHY HADN'T HE. HIS REPLY: 'I DON'T HAVE A CHART, DO I DON'T KNOW THE FREQ.' I ADVISED HIM OF THE DANGER OF SOARING DOWNWIND OF AN ACTIVE RWY AND USING THE UNICOM. HE DIDN'T CARE AND WASN'T LISTENING. DUE TO HIS CARELESS ATTITUDE, IT WAS NOT USE REASONING WITH HIM. I KNOW A RADIO IS NOT REQUIRED AT UNCONTROLLED ARPTS, BUT JUST LIKE IF YOU HAVE A XPONDER, YOU HAVE TO USE IT, SO IT SHOULD BE WITH RADIO--HAVE ON, USE IT. ALSO HE SHOULD BE EDUCATED ON CARRYING A SECTIONAL AND USING THE UNICOM. AND AS ALWAYS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF AN ACFT IS THE PLT. THE GLIDER PLT NEEDS SOME ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS--MAYBE A SAFETY COUNSELOR OR THE FAA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.