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A large unmanned aerial vehicle and a general aviation aircraft were approaching the same airport when the GA pilot reported a 'close-call' with the uav. Tower and the operator of the uav reported that they had both aircraft in sight and that separation had been 4000 feet horizontally and 500 feet vertically.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1542105 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Landing |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75 Flight Crew Total 17000 Flight Crew Type 75 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Conflict Airborne Conflict Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown |
| Miss Distance | Horizontal 4000 Vertical 500 |
Narrative:
We were flying a 650-pound uas in right closed traffic. On downwind; we were cleared for the option. A GA aircraft reported VFR 5 miles east inbound and was cleared for right base entry to runway 29. He was told of our position of right downwind to runway 25. Our uas flies at approx. 60 KIAS. The PIC of the uas elected to remain at pattern altitude and not descend when he heard the incoming traffic. Tower advised us of the position of the inbound aircraft; and our visual observer had him in sight and relayed that information to us in the ground control station. We were on mid-right base at 2500'msl/1000'agl when the inbound aircraft passed in front of us at our 2 o'clock position approx. 4000' away and 500' below us. Tower had us both in sight; our visual observer had both aircraft in sight. The pilot of the GA aircraft reported a close call. Tower assured the GA that there was adequate separation. The GA pilot came pretty close to arguing with the tower about it. There was obvious animosity from the GA pilot towards uas in general. The pilot of the GA aircraft flew his pattern entry directly to the numbers of runway 29 and put him in the vicinity of what would have been our base to final turn. Regardless of the type of aircraft in the right landing pattern of 25; the GA pilot put himself in a position for conflict by flying directly to the numbers instead of a normal pattern. In the end; the GA pilot filed a near midair collision with the FSDO. We cooperated fully with the FAA and supplied the real time data of the reported near midair collision. I write this as a reminder to be alert and stick to normal practices. Be aware when entering the pattern when other planes are in different landing patterns. Had we not elected to remain at pattern altitude; the two aircraft would had little or no vertical separation between them.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A large unmanned aerial vehicle and a general aviation aircraft were approaching the same airport when the GA pilot reported a 'close-call' with the UAV. Tower and the operator of the UAV reported that they had both aircraft in sight and that separation had been 4000 feet horizontally and 500 feet vertically.
Narrative: We were flying a 650-pound UAS in right closed traffic. On downwind; we were cleared for the option. A GA aircraft reported VFR 5 miles east inbound and was cleared for right base entry to runway 29. He was told of our position of right downwind to runway 25. Our UAS flies at approx. 60 KIAS. The PIC of the UAS elected to remain at pattern altitude and not descend when he heard the incoming traffic. Tower advised us of the position of the inbound aircraft; and our Visual Observer had him in sight and relayed that information to us in the ground control station. We were on mid-right base at 2500'msl/1000'agl when the inbound aircraft passed in front of us at our 2 o'clock position approx. 4000' away and 500' below us. Tower had us both in sight; our visual observer had both aircraft in sight. The pilot of the GA aircraft reported a close call. Tower assured the GA that there was adequate separation. The GA pilot came pretty close to arguing with the tower about it. There was obvious animosity from the GA pilot towards UAS in general. The pilot of the GA aircraft flew his pattern entry directly to the numbers of runway 29 and put him in the vicinity of what would have been our base to final turn. Regardless of the type of aircraft in the right landing pattern of 25; the GA pilot put himself in a position for conflict by flying directly to the numbers instead of a normal pattern. In the end; the GA pilot filed a NMAC with the FSDO. We cooperated fully with the FAA and supplied the real time data of the reported NMAC. I write this as a reminder to be alert and stick to normal practices. Be aware when entering the pattern when other planes are in different landing patterns. Had we not elected to remain at pattern altitude; the two aircraft would had little or no vertical separation between them.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.