Narrative:

We were being line checked by an FAA official. We were approaching dro from the north on an instrument flight plan from den. We cancelled IFR approximately 30 NM away at 17500 ft MSL. Approximately 20 NM north of dro, we reported our position on unicom. The AWOS reported the wind 220 degrees at 20 KTS making runway 20 the favored runway. Another aircraft (single engine) small aircraft reported 13 NM south of dro inbound on the dro localizer runway 2 approach. He reported that he would be executing the missed approach. Our aircraft and the small aircraft were converging from opposite directions to dro. Since our speed was 160-180 KTS (distance 20 NM from dro) and his about 100-120 KTS (distance 13 NM from dro) we estimated that we would arrive simultaneously at the runway. Left traffic is utilized for runway 20. If we chose to enter the pattern on the 45 entry and make left turns to runway 20, then a collision hazard would exist because our flight path would intersect his missed approach flight path. A collision hazard would also exist if we chose an upwind entry to runway 20. See diagram. To avoid a traffic conflict, we chose to land straight-in to runway 20. We continued to make radio calls and communicate to the small aircraft our position and intentions to make a straight-in approach to runway 20. We also carefully checked for any non-radio traffic on the left and right base legs to runway 20. We touched down on runway 20 at about the same time the small aircraft reported executing the missed approach. There was no traffic conflict and the small aircraft made no mention of one. On the ground, the FAA official told us to review the airman's information manual for recommended pattern entries at an uncontrolled airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC PATTERN PROC AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING LINE CHKED BY AN FAA OFFICIAL. WE WERE APCHING DRO FROM THE N ON AN INST FLT PLAN FROM DEN. WE CANCELLED IFR APPROX 30 NM AWAY AT 17500 FT MSL. APPROX 20 NM N OF DRO, WE RPTED OUR POS ON UNICOM. THE AWOS RPTED THE WIND 220 DEGS AT 20 KTS MAKING RWY 20 THE FAVORED RWY. ANOTHER ACFT (SINGLE ENG) SMA RPTED 13 NM S OF DRO INBOUND ON THE DRO LOC RWY 2 APCH. HE RPTED THAT HE WOULD BE EXECUTING THE MISSED APCH. OUR ACFT AND THE SMA WERE CONVERGING FROM OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO DRO. SINCE OUR SPD WAS 160-180 KTS (DISTANCE 20 NM FROM DRO) AND HIS ABOUT 100-120 KTS (DISTANCE 13 NM FROM DRO) WE ESTIMATED THAT WE WOULD ARRIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY AT THE RWY. L TFC IS UTILIZED FOR RWY 20. IF WE CHOSE TO ENTER THE PATTERN ON THE 45 ENTRY AND MAKE L TURNS TO RWY 20, THEN A COLLISION HAZARD WOULD EXIST BECAUSE OUR FLT PATH WOULD INTERSECT HIS MISSED APCH FLT PATH. A COLLISION HAZARD WOULD ALSO EXIST IF WE CHOSE AN UPWIND ENTRY TO RWY 20. SEE DIAGRAM. TO AVOID A TFC CONFLICT, WE CHOSE TO LAND STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 20. WE CONTINUED TO MAKE RADIO CALLS AND COMMUNICATE TO THE SMA OUR POS AND INTENTIONS TO MAKE A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 20. WE ALSO CAREFULLY CHKED FOR ANY NON-RADIO TFC ON THE L AND R BASE LEGS TO RWY 20. WE TOUCHED DOWN ON RWY 20 AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE SMA RPTED EXECUTING THE MISSED APCH. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT AND THE SMA MADE NO MENTION OF ONE. ON THE GND, THE FAA OFFICIAL TOLD US TO REVIEW THE AIRMAN'S INFO MANUAL FOR RECOMMENDED PATTERN ENTRIES AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.

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.