Small aircraft pilot has near midair collision entering uncontrolled airport traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	179599
Time
Date	199105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aiy
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 580 flight time type : 3
ASRS Report	179599
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flew north up the atlantic shore toward atlantic city-bader. Unicom at callup indicated the active was, 'left-hand for runway 11. Caution, traffic reported and watch for beach banner-towers.' I approached at traffic pattern altitude from the southeast and was entering a crosswind. To my left an aircraft appeared above me, flying toward me, parallel to runway 11 on the south side. I made an evasive right turn to avoid the other traffic. After getting wings level and checking my aircraft, I picked up loose gear. It was a very hazy day. The other aircraft seemed to bank left to avoid me, also (it was a low-wing). Upon entering downwind preparing to land, I noticed my transponder set on standby, so I repositioned it to altitude. Unicom called and said, 'aircraft on downwind, say type aircraft.' after a few seconds, I replied, 'bader unicom, small aircraft #2 downwind for left 11.' the other aircraft was downwind ahead of me; but, instead of turning final from base, it continued on a base heading west/O climbing, heading south. I may have been too excited, but I never heard the other aircraft on 123.0. I turned final and landed on 11. My wife and I were shook but uninjured. We didn't see the other aircraft land after us and I do not believe either aircraft was at fault--just a hazy day and blind spot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS NMAC ENTERING UNCONTROLLED ARPT TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: FLEW N UP THE ATLANTIC SHORE TOWARD ATLANTIC CITY-BADER. UNICOM AT CALLUP INDICATED THE ACTIVE WAS, 'LEFT-HAND FOR RWY 11. CAUTION, TFC RPTED AND WATCH FOR BEACH BANNER-TOWERS.' I APCHED AT TFC PATTERN ALT FROM THE SE AND WAS ENTERING A XWIND. TO MY LEFT AN ACFT APPEARED ABOVE ME, FLYING TOWARD ME, PARALLEL TO RWY 11 ON THE S SIDE. I MADE AN EVASIVE RIGHT TURN TO AVOID THE OTHER TFC. AFTER GETTING WINGS LEVEL AND CHKING MY ACFT, I PICKED UP LOOSE GEAR. IT WAS A VERY HAZY DAY. THE OTHER ACFT SEEMED TO BANK LEFT TO AVOID ME, ALSO (IT WAS A LOW-WING). UPON ENTERING DOWNWIND PREPARING TO LAND, I NOTICED MY XPONDER SET ON STANDBY, SO I REPOSITIONED IT TO ALT. UNICOM CALLED AND SAID, 'ACFT ON DOWNWIND, SAY TYPE ACFT.' AFTER A FEW SECS, I REPLIED, 'BADER UNICOM, SMA #2 DOWNWIND FOR LEFT 11.' THE OTHER ACFT WAS DOWNWIND AHEAD OF ME; BUT, INSTEAD OF TURNING FINAL FROM BASE, IT CONTINUED ON A BASE HDG W/O CLBING, HDG S. I MAY HAVE BEEN TOO EXCITED, BUT I NEVER HEARD THE OTHER ACFT ON 123.0. I TURNED FINAL AND LANDED ON 11. MY WIFE AND I WERE SHOOK BUT UNINJURED. WE DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER ACFT LAND AFTER US AND I DO NOT BELIEVE EITHER ACFT WAS AT FAULT--JUST A HAZY DAY AND BLIND SPOT.

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.