Small aircraft pilot on test flight has near midair collision with traffic in pattern.

Attributes
ACN	182956
Time
Date	199107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 0o3
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gnv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	182956
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Had completed check of ailerons and control surface rigging check and was entering a climb to 2300' MSL crosswind to downwind and saw the small aircraft ahead and I rolled sharply to the left to avoid him. I should not have been in a climb attitude during this phase of crosswind pattern or should have been more attentive to local traffic. I did not have radios installed at this time and my hand held was not in the aircraft. My position during this incident was crosswind, off end of runway 31 just prior to entry to right downwind to runway 31. I was well within pattern boundaries when I saw the small aircraft I did not see the 45 degree entry by him. While I believe we had a near miss, I believe we both share equal responsibility. I certainly will be more attentive and do understand the dangers of a field like this, having been a past accident prevention counselor during my flight instrument days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON TEST FLT HAS NMAC WITH TFC IN PATTERN.

Narrative: HAD COMPLETED CHK OF AILERONS AND CTL SURFACE RIGGING CHK AND WAS ENTERING A CLB TO 2300' MSL XWIND TO DOWNWIND AND SAW THE SMA AHEAD AND I ROLLED SHARPLY TO THE L TO AVOID HIM. I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN A CLB ATTITUDE DURING THIS PHASE OF XWIND PATTERN OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ATTENTIVE TO LCL TFC. I DID NOT HAVE RADIOS INSTALLED AT THIS TIME AND MY HAND HELD WAS NOT IN THE ACFT. MY POS DURING THIS INCIDENT WAS XWIND, OFF END OF RWY 31 JUST PRIOR TO ENTRY TO R DOWNWIND TO RWY 31. I WAS WELL WITHIN PATTERN BOUNDARIES WHEN I SAW THE SMA I DID NOT SEE THE 45 DEG ENTRY BY HIM. WHILE I BELIEVE WE HAD A NEAR MISS, I BELIEVE WE BOTH SHARE EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY. I CERTAINLY WILL BE MORE ATTENTIVE AND DO UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS OF A FIELD LIKE THIS, HAVING BEEN A PAST ACCIDENT PREVENTION COUNSELOR DURING MY FLT INSTR DAYS.

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.