Narrative:

While approaching bessemer airport from the southeast at approximately 15 mi out, I asked for airport advisory on frequency 123.0. I didn't hear anything on the radio, so I reported, at 10 mi out and 5 mi out, my position and intentions (inbound for landing at bessemer airport). Sometimes I heard cracking noise on the radio. I proceeded inbound with caution. I was familiar with the wind direction and I reported 1 mi southeast to enter a left downwind runway 23 at bessemer (at that time visibility was reduced due to haze). Surprisingly, I saw an small aircraft Z at a lower altitude executing a left turn toward the northwest. I hadn't heard a single (understandable) transmission of that small aircraft Z on the radio. It seemed to me that the small aircraft Z was departing the airport area, so I turned in for a left downwind. I reported a left base and final for runway 23 at bessemer. On final I heard a broken up transmission with my call sign in it. I understood that someone wanted to know my position, so I repeated an earlier transmission, 'bessemer traffic, small aircraft Z is on final runway 23 at bessemer, full stop.' once on the ground, the pilot (or passenger) of the just landed small aircraft Z came up to me and idented himself as an FAA employee. He said I entered the pattern while he was on a left downwind and because he couldn't see me, he had to depart the pattern toward the northwest. Because of the fact that I reported 1 mi southeast to enter a downwind runway 23, and I had visibility contact with the small aircraft Z, there was no danger to anyone's safety, in my judgement. Earlier that day I established clear 2-WAY radio communication with dothan tower and montgomery approach. Because the flight took place on very short notice, I forgot to take my wallet with me, which held my pilot certificates and medical. The FAA employee (from birmingham) made a note of this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA-SMA GA-LIGHT TWIN IN TRAFFIC AT ZA3.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING BESSEMER ARPT FROM THE SE AT APPROX 15 MI OUT, I ASKED FOR ARPT ADVISORY ON FREQ 123.0. I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ON THE RADIO, SO I RPTED, AT 10 MI OUT AND 5 MI OUT, MY POS AND INTENTIONS (INBND FOR LNDG AT BESSEMER ARPT). SOMETIMES I HEARD CRACKING NOISE ON THE RADIO. I PROCEEDED INBND WITH CAUTION. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE WIND DIRECTION AND I RPTED 1 MI SE TO ENTER A LEFT DOWNWIND RWY 23 AT BESSEMER (AT THAT TIME VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED DUE TO HAZE). SURPRISINGLY, I SAW AN SMA Z AT A LOWER ALT EXECUTING A LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NW. I HADN'T HEARD A SINGLE (UNDERSTANDABLE) XMISSION OF THAT SMA Z ON THE RADIO. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE SMA Z WAS DEPARTING THE ARPT AREA, SO I TURNED IN FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND. I RPTED A LEFT BASE AND FINAL FOR RWY 23 AT BESSEMER. ON FINAL I HEARD A BROKEN UP XMISSION WITH MY CALL SIGN IN IT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT SOMEONE WANTED TO KNOW MY POS, SO I REPEATED AN EARLIER XMISSION, 'BESSEMER TFC, SMA Z IS ON FINAL RWY 23 AT BESSEMER, FULL STOP.' ONCE ON THE GND, THE PLT (OR PAX) OF THE JUST LANDED SMA Z CAME UP TO ME AND IDENTED HIMSELF AS AN FAA EMPLOYEE. HE SAID I ENTERED THE PATTERN WHILE HE WAS ON A LEFT DOWNWIND AND BECAUSE HE COULDN'T SEE ME, HE HAD TO DEPART THE PATTERN TOWARD THE NW. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I RPTED 1 MI SE TO ENTER A DOWNWIND RWY 23, AND I HAD VIS CONTACT WITH THE SMA Z, THERE WAS NO DANGER TO ANYONE'S SAFETY, IN MY JUDGEMENT. EARLIER THAT DAY I ESTABLISHED CLR 2-WAY RADIO COM WITH DOTHAN TWR AND MONTGOMERY APCH. BECAUSE THE FLT TOOK PLACE ON VERY SHORT NOTICE, I FORGOT TO TAKE MY WALLET WITH ME, WHICH HELD MY PLT CERTIFICATES AND MEDICAL. THE FAA EMPLOYEE (FROM BIRMINGHAM) MADE A NOTE OF THIS INCIDENT.

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.