Small aircraft attempting to enter air traffic area has frequency congestion, unexpected entry from ...

Attributes
ACN	219305
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ilg
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ilg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1350 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	219305
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Sun, beautiful, bright day, much flying activity, control tower busy. I was returning to ilg (home base) from N92 practicing 'grass strip' lndgs -- having difficulty getting through radio traffic for landing clearance. 040 degree heading to ilg (from N92) is almost left base for runway 32 ilg. Expecting routine 'report left base runway 32,' I was surprised to get 'report left downwind runway 32.' by this time, I was getting close enough in that I decided to return to N92 for a hardtop landing (rather than enter against the downwind 32 traffic) -- and then cruise down the C&D canal on this beautiful day -- re-enter when traffic eased up. As I turned away to the southwest I heard an small transport pilot reporting an small aircraft turning right across his inbound ILS 1 path. Tower reported he was not talking to anyone in the area but small transport insisted tower get the number. Tower said he would report to his supervisor. I know I wasn't in that position, although I was in the general area -- I just don't want someone picking my north number out of the air and saying I flew through the ILS 1 flight of small transport. I am a current instrument pilot -- fly ILS 1 in good and foul WX. I know where that glidepath is. I went the other direction. Small transport insisted an small aircraft crossed his path -- maybe, but not me! I'm not sure why I'm reporting this -- just an uncomfortable nagging feeling about what I heard and where I was. I never saw an small transport -- I did hear its pilot talk. My lessons: plan to enter earlier in the pattern, even when I know the field, particularly on a busy day. As in 'tailgating' as long as everyone does exactly what's expected it may work, but... So don't.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ATTEMPTING TO ENTER ATA HAS FREQ CONGESTION, UNEXPECTED ENTRY FROM HIS POS DIRECTION. DECIDES TO LEAVE AREA. CONCERNED THAT HE MAY BE 'ACCUSED' AS TFC IN SMT PLT'S STATEMENT THAT ACFT CROSSED HIS PATH INBOUND ON THE ILS.

Narrative: SUN, BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT DAY, MUCH FLYING ACTIVITY, CTL TWR BUSY. I WAS RETURNING TO ILG (HOME BASE) FROM N92 PRACTICING 'GRASS STRIP' LNDGS -- HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THROUGH RADIO TFC FOR LNDG CLRNC. 040 DEG HDG TO ILG (FROM N92) IS ALMOST L BASE FOR RWY 32 ILG. EXPECTING ROUTINE 'RPT L BASE RWY 32,' I WAS SURPRISED TO GET 'RPT L DOWNWIND RWY 32.' BY THIS TIME, I WAS GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH IN THAT I DECIDED TO RETURN TO N92 FOR A HARDTOP LNDG (RATHER THAN ENTER AGAINST THE DOWNWIND 32 TFC) -- AND THEN CRUISE DOWN THE C&D CANAL ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY -- RE-ENTER WHEN TFC EASED UP. AS I TURNED AWAY TO THE SW I HEARD AN SMT PLT RPTING AN SMA TURNING RIGHT ACROSS HIS INBOUND ILS 1 PATH. TWR RPTED HE WAS NOT TALKING TO ANYONE IN THE AREA BUT SMT INSISTED TWR GET THE NUMBER. TWR SAID HE WOULD RPT TO HIS SUPVR. I KNOW I WASN'T IN THAT POS, ALTHOUGH I WAS IN THE GENERAL AREA -- I JUST DON'T WANT SOMEONE PICKING MY N NUMBER OUT OF THE AIR AND SAYING I FLEW THROUGH THE ILS 1 FLT OF SMT. I AM A CURRENT INST PLT -- FLY ILS 1 IN GOOD AND FOUL WX. I KNOW WHERE THAT GLIDEPATH IS. I WENT THE OTHER DIRECTION. SMT INSISTED AN SMA CROSSED HIS PATH -- MAYBE, BUT NOT ME! I'M NOT SURE WHY I'M RPTING THIS -- JUST AN UNCOMFORTABLE NAGGING FEELING ABOUT WHAT I HEARD AND WHERE I WAS. I NEVER SAW AN SMT -- I DID HEAR ITS PLT TALK. MY LESSONS: PLAN TO ENTER EARLIER IN THE PATTERN, EVEN WHEN I KNOW THE FIELD, PARTICULARLY ON A BUSY DAY. AS IN 'TAILGATING' AS LONG AS EVERYONE DOES EXACTLY WHAT'S EXPECTED IT MAY WORK, BUT... SO DON'T.

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.

Small aircraft attempting to enter air traffic area has frequency congestion, unexpected entry from his position direction. Decides to leave area. Concerned that he may be 'accused' as traffic in small transport pilot's statement that aircraft crossed his path inbound on the ILS.