Narrative:

I was entering the traffic pattern for runway 15 at the ft collins-loveland airport from the southeast. I was level at pattern altitude (5800') making a 45 degree entry at midfield. During the entry, I was constantly looking for other traffic. When I began turning downwind, an small aircraft that was performing touch and go's came into my view. This plane was low, climbing, and in a left bank turning onto downwind from the west. Our planes were on a collision course when this plane came into view (about 100' below my altitude). After an abrupt avoidance maneuver, we missed by less the 50'. Subsequent analysis as to why I was unable to see this aircraft, convinced me that the plane turned x-wind after takeoff, prematurely, placing it directly in front of my nose and low while I was making the 45 degree entry to downwind. The pilot of the small aircraft essentially placed his aircraft in a position where it could not be seen. Upon landing, I observed 4 other aircraft practicing touch and go's turning x-wind at midfield. Several planes, in fact, turned x-wind at 200' AGL. One planes was still 300-400' below pattern when turning downwind while climbing to pattern altitude. These pilots not only deprive themselves of use of the remaining portion of runway in the event of an emergency, but the premature turning x-wind puts them into a position where they cannot see nor be seen by other traffic entering downwind. Contributing factors were a recent (last yr or so) extension to the north of the main runway. It is now almost 4500' to midfield. Pilots use to shorter fields may likely make their turns to x-wind at midfield. I believe a program is urgently needed (in view of the extent of this practice) to increase the awareness of the consequences of taking short cuts while in the traffic pattern. Perhaps some regulation requiring the attainment of pattern altitude before downwind entry, or requiring standard entry locations might be needed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT IN TRAFFIC PATTERN MAKING TOUCH AND GOES FAILS TO COMPLY WITH RECOMMENDED AIM PROC RESULTING IN NMAC.

Narrative: I WAS ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 15 AT THE FT COLLINS-LOVELAND ARPT FROM THE SE. I WAS LEVEL AT PATTERN ALT (5800') MAKING A 45 DEG ENTRY AT MIDFIELD. DURING THE ENTRY, I WAS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR OTHER TFC. WHEN I BEGAN TURNING DOWNWIND, AN SMA THAT WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO'S CAME INTO MY VIEW. THIS PLANE WAS LOW, CLBING, AND IN A L BANK TURNING ONTO DOWNWIND FROM THE W. OUR PLANES WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE WHEN THIS PLANE CAME INTO VIEW (ABOUT 100' BELOW MY ALT). AFTER AN ABRUPT AVOIDANCE MANEUVER, WE MISSED BY LESS THE 50'. SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS AS TO WHY I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THIS ACFT, CONVINCED ME THAT THE PLANE TURNED X-WIND AFTER TKOF, PREMATURELY, PLACING IT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY NOSE AND LOW WHILE I WAS MAKING THE 45 DEG ENTRY TO DOWNWIND. THE PLT OF THE SMA ESSENTIALLY PLACED HIS ACFT IN A POS WHERE IT COULD NOT BE SEEN. UPON LNDG, I OBSERVED 4 OTHER ACFT PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO'S TURNING X-WIND AT MIDFIELD. SEVERAL PLANES, IN FACT, TURNED X-WIND AT 200' AGL. ONE PLANES WAS STILL 300-400' BELOW PATTERN WHEN TURNING DOWNWIND WHILE CLBING TO PATTERN ALT. THESE PLTS NOT ONLY DEPRIVE THEMSELVES OF USE OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF RWY IN THE EVENT OF AN EMER, BUT THE PREMATURE TURNING X-WIND PUTS THEM INTO A POS WHERE THEY CANNOT SEE NOR BE SEEN BY OTHER TFC ENTERING DOWNWIND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A RECENT (LAST YR OR SO) EXTENSION TO THE N OF THE MAIN RWY. IT IS NOW ALMOST 4500' TO MIDFIELD. PLTS USE TO SHORTER FIELDS MAY LIKELY MAKE THEIR TURNS TO X-WIND AT MIDFIELD. I BELIEVE A PROGRAM IS URGENTLY NEEDED (IN VIEW OF THE EXTENT OF THIS PRACTICE) TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING SHORT CUTS WHILE IN THE TFC PATTERN. PERHAPS SOME REG REQUIRING THE ATTAINMENT OF PATTERN ALT BEFORE DOWNWIND ENTRY, OR REQUIRING STANDARD ENTRY LOCATIONS MIGHT BE NEEDED.

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.