An small aircraft came close to a military aircraft at night in the traffic pattern at an uncontroll...

Attributes
ACN	224966
Time
Date	199210
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n88
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	224966
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While staging for takeoff, noticed airplane (heading about 320 degree) overfly an small aircraft on final approach for runway 23. Overflying aircraft was either unusually low or large, assumed it was military. We took off, climbed out in pattern for a downwind departure for sbj VOR for practice VOR 23 approach. At 1700 ft, abeam approach end of runway 23, we noticed converging traffic from right, heading northwest, and took evasive action -- hard descending right turn. We estimate other aircraft at 2000 ft, other aircraft did not have landing lights or strobes on, we saw only red running lights. Other aircraft did not alter course for evasive action. Due to previous mentioned incident with small aircraft on final, my safety pilot and myself had paid particular attention to traffic from that direction, and believe we were surprised by high speed or descending traffic. We maintained visual contact with aircraft and confirmed it returned to willow grove NAS. We believe military should not operate so close to county airport, should not operate at altitudes corresponding to published approachs (initial altitude for VOR 23 is 2000 ft) and should use strobes, and also landing lights if descending for landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA CAME CLOSE TO A MIL ACFT AT NIGHT IN THE TFC PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE STAGING FOR TKOF, NOTICED AIRPLANE (HDG ABOUT 320 DEG) OVERFLY AN SMA ON FINAL APCH FOR RWY 23. OVERFLYING ACFT WAS EITHER UNUSUALLY LOW OR LARGE, ASSUMED IT WAS MIL. WE TOOK OFF, CLBED OUT IN PATTERN FOR A DOWNWIND DEP FOR SBJ VOR FOR PRACTICE VOR 23 APCH. AT 1700 FT, ABEAM APCH END OF RWY 23, WE NOTICED CONVERGING TFC FROM R, HDG NW, AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION -- HARD DSNDING R TURN. WE ESTIMATE OTHER ACFT AT 2000 FT, OTHER ACFT DID NOT HAVE LNDG LIGHTS OR STROBES ON, WE SAW ONLY RED RUNNING LIGHTS. OTHER ACFT DID NOT ALTER COURSE FOR EVASIVE ACTION. DUE TO PREVIOUS MENTIONED INCIDENT WITH SMA ON FINAL, MY SAFETY PLT AND MYSELF HAD PAID PARTICULAR ATTN TO TFC FROM THAT DIRECTION, AND BELIEVE WE WERE SURPRISED BY HIGH SPD OR DSNDING TFC. WE MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH ACFT AND CONFIRMED IT RETURNED TO WILLOW GROVE NAS. WE BELIEVE MIL SHOULD NOT OPERATE SO CLOSE TO COUNTY ARPT, SHOULD NOT OPERATE AT ALTS CORRESPONDING TO PUBLISHED APCHS (INITIAL ALT FOR VOR 23 IS 2000 FT) AND SHOULD USE STROBES, AND ALSO LNDG LIGHTS IF DSNDING FOR LNDG.

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.

An small aircraft came close to a military aircraft at night in the traffic pattern at an uncontrolled airport.