Near midair collision at non tower airport.

Attributes
ACN	209475
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fdk
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	209475
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 150 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I entered the traffic pattern at frederick municipal airport (fdk) for runway 23, announcing my position on downwind, base and final. Downwind extended about 1 1/2 mi from touchdown zone to allow for spacing with smaller, slower tail draggers, old small aircraft I believe, ahead. As my aircraft was 1/2 mi and about 250 ft AGL from runway end, a gyrocopter (tubular frame, no cabin there nearly impossible to see) appeared on a left base leg at about 150 ft altitude and 300-500 ft from the runway end. It turned final in front of me and touched down on the runway numbers as I executed a go around. Suggestions: 1) I have noticed an increasing incidence recently of pilots who are not vigilant in the pattern, looking for conflicting traffic, time for reemphasis in BFR's, etc. 2) gyrocopters, other tubular aircraft and ultralights which operated from airports shared with larger aircraft, should be required to meet some visibility standards, eg, high visibility panels, paint, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC AT NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: I ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN AT FREDERICK MUNICIPAL ARPT (FDK) FOR RWY 23, ANNOUNCING MY POS ON DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL. DOWNWIND EXTENDED ABOUT 1 1/2 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN ZONE TO ALLOW FOR SPACING WITH SMALLER, SLOWER TAIL DRAGGERS, OLD SMA I BELIEVE, AHEAD. AS MY ACFT WAS 1/2 MI AND ABOUT 250 FT AGL FROM RWY END, A GYROCOPTER (TUBULAR FRAME, NO CABIN THERE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE) APPEARED ON A L BASE LEG AT ABOUT 150 FT ALT AND 300-500 FT FROM THE RWY END. IT TURNED FINAL IN FRONT OF ME AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RWY NUMBERS AS I EXECUTED A GAR. SUGGESTIONS: 1) I HAVE NOTICED AN INCREASING INCIDENCE RECENTLY OF PLTS WHO ARE NOT VIGILANT IN THE PATTERN, LOOKING FOR CONFLICTING TFC, TIME FOR REEMPHASIS IN BFR'S, ETC. 2) GYROCOPTERS, OTHER TUBULAR ACFT AND ULTRALIGHTS WHICH OPERATED FROM ARPTS SHARED WITH LARGER ACFT, SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MEET SOME VISIBILITY STANDARDS, EG, HIGH VISIBILITY PANELS, PAINT, ETC.

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.