Narrative:

While returning to my home airport, I monitored unicom and heard several aircraft announce departures on runway 35. I subsequently heard another aircraft announce departure from 17 for closed traffic, and decided to overfly the field (about 1200 ft above pattern altitude) and check the sock, pattern and ground traffic, and try to raise unicom for their advised runway. Unicom advised 35, and I observed an aircraft land on 35. I was over the field heading south, and announced that I would be heading to the northwest and returning to enter the pattern (downwind) for 35. I raised my left wing to check for traffic and then started a left turn. About 120 degrees through the approximately 225 degree turn, I observed a fast low wing retractable cross above me (about 300 ft above, but might have appeared closer than actual due to surprise effect). My airspeed was about 90 KTS. An airway crossed the field, and observing his track after completing my turn indicated that he was probably following it. Although I was scanning for traffic before the turn, I was probably overly preoccupied with sorting out the activity in the pattern below. Also, when raising the wing to check for traffic. The approaching aircraft's track appeared to be almost directly into the setting sun (as I observed him going away) and this may have hindered his spotting me, nor could he have anticipated my turn. In the future, I will look farther over my shoulder before turning. I also believe that interrupting the turn at 90 degree intervals and again raising the inside wing for a check (on high wings) will give added insurance that I haven't missed observing quartering traffic.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 SMAS HAD AN NMAC OVERHEAD AN UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE RETURNING TO MY HOME ARPT, I MONITORED UNICOM AND HEARD SEVERAL ACFT ANNOUNCE DEPS ON RWY 35. I SUBSEQUENTLY HEARD ANOTHER ACFT ANNOUNCE DEP FROM 17 FOR CLOSED TFC, AND DECIDED TO OVERFLY THE FIELD (ABOUT 1200 FT ABOVE PATTERN ALT) AND CHK THE SOCK, PATTERN AND GND TFC, AND TRY TO RAISE UNICOM FOR THEIR ADVISED RWY. UNICOM ADVISED 35, AND I OBSERVED AN ACFT LAND ON 35. I WAS OVER THE FIELD HDG S, AND ANNOUNCED THAT I WOULD BE HDG TO THE NW AND RETURNING TO ENTER THE PATTERN (DOWNWIND) FOR 35. I RAISED MY L WING TO CHK FOR TFC AND THEN STARTED A L TURN. ABOUT 120 DEGS THROUGH THE APPROX 225 DEG TURN, I OBSERVED A FAST LOW WING RETRACTABLE CROSS ABOVE ME (ABOUT 300 FT ABOVE, BUT MIGHT HAVE APPEARED CLOSER THAN ACTUAL DUE TO SURPRISE EFFECT). MY AIRSPD WAS ABOUT 90 KTS. AN AIRWAY CROSSED THE FIELD, AND OBSERVING HIS TRACK AFTER COMPLETING MY TURN INDICATED THAT HE WAS PROBABLY FOLLOWING IT. ALTHOUGH I WAS SCANNING FOR TFC BEFORE THE TURN, I WAS PROBABLY OVERLY PREOCCUPIED WITH SORTING OUT THE ACTIVITY IN THE PATTERN BELOW. ALSO, WHEN RAISING THE WING TO CHK FOR TFC. THE APCHING ACFT'S TRACK APPEARED TO BE ALMOST DIRECTLY INTO THE SETTING SUN (AS I OBSERVED HIM GOING AWAY) AND THIS MAY HAVE HINDERED HIS SPOTTING ME, NOR COULD HE HAVE ANTICIPATED MY TURN. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL LOOK FARTHER OVER MY SHOULDER BEFORE TURNING. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT INTERRUPTING THE TURN AT 90 DEG INTERVALS AND AGAIN RAISING THE INSIDE WING FOR A CHK (ON HIGH WINGS) WILL GIVE ADDED INSURANCE THAT I HAVEN'T MISSED OBSERVING QUARTERING TFC.

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.