<< >> NASA ASRS Report 158537, September 1990

Close proximity GA small aircraft entering traffic at non tower airport and GA small aircraft flying in the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	158537
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 0o5
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 332 flight time type : 290
ASRS Report	158537
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I entered airport area to determine runway in use. I was above pattern altitude. Departing aircraft indicated it was departing runway 16. No other aircraft reported. I announced I was entering pattern from 45 degree and descended. Departing aircraft evidently was actually closed traffic ie, remaining in pattern. I evidently descended in front of them on downwind leg. They indicated the near miss over unicom and altered their landing pattern. No other actions or incidents resulted. Both aircraft landed normally. I have only the comments of the other aircraft (high wing/southeast) occupant to base this report on. I failed to enter the pattern at the correct altitude and thus could have contributed to the problem. This was due to my altering my plans when I perceived the airspace to be empty. The other aircraft may have announced their intentions to remain in the pattern but it was never heard by myself or my passenger (we had headsets). I will adhere to pattern altitudes more thoroughly in the future which should alleviate a substantial portion of the problem. More announcing in pattern should be encouraged.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA SMA ENTERING TRAFFIC AT NON TWR ARPT AND GA SMA FLYING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: I ENTERED ARPT AREA TO DETERMINE RWY IN USE. I WAS ABOVE PATTERN ALT. DEPARTING ACFT INDICATED IT WAS DEPARTING RWY 16. NO OTHER ACFT RPTED. I ANNOUNCED I WAS ENTERING PATTERN FROM 45 DEG AND DSNDED. DEPARTING ACFT EVIDENTLY WAS ACTUALLY CLOSED TFC IE, REMAINING IN PATTERN. I EVIDENTLY DSNDED IN FRONT OF THEM ON DOWNWIND LEG. THEY INDICATED THE NEAR MISS OVER UNICOM AND ALTERED THEIR LNDG PATTERN. NO OTHER ACTIONS OR INCIDENTS RESULTED. BOTH ACFT LANDED NORMALLY. I HAVE ONLY THE COMMENTS OF THE OTHER ACFT (HIGH WING/SE) OCCUPANT TO BASE THIS RPT ON. I FAILED TO ENTER THE PATTERN AT THE CORRECT ALT AND THUS COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB. THIS WAS DUE TO MY ALTERING MY PLANS WHEN I PERCEIVED THE AIRSPACE TO BE EMPTY. THE OTHER ACFT MAY HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTIONS TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN BUT IT WAS NEVER HEARD BY MYSELF OR MY PAX (WE HAD HEADSETS). I WILL ADHERE TO PATTERN ALTS MORE THOROUGHLY IN THE FUTURE WHICH SHOULD ALLEVIATE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE PROB. MORE ANNOUNCING IN PATTERN SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.

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.