Conflict between 2 small aircraft sel aircraft in a non controled traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	272649
Time
Date	199405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 2n9
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 770 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	272649
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was flying piper arrow. I had approached 2n9 from rdu, and had made radio calls 3 mi ont, 45 degree entry, downwind, and turning base. There were 2 other aircraft on the frequency and I was visually watching 1 of them (it was on final runway 4) and watching for arrival of the 2ND one. I saw an aircraft above me approximately 1/2 mi away as I turned base (he appeared to be overhead the field, and I thought he was the arriving flight I had been hearing. As I called my base turn, someone (don't know which aircraft) responded and asked 'calling base turn, do you see the aircraft on downwind about to turn base?' I then realized that this was a 3RD aircraft, not the arrival I had been looking for. He was doing touch-and-goes in pattern without any radio calls. I responded by saying that I would extend downwind, which I did, and he turned base inside me. Besides the traffic conflict, a more subtle and dangerous thing occurred. In watching the conflicting aircraft at approximately my 7 O'clock, I had been distracted and was slowly raising the nose without realizing it. When I looked back to the windshield and panel, airspeed had decayed uncomfortably close to stall. Lessons/suggestions: even though carefully monitoring CTAF and making calls, remember there may be no-radio aircraft around. Keep the visual scan going. Be sure the aircraft you see is the one you think it is -- though I saw this aircraft, I thought he was overhead for pattern entry, not about to turn base inside me. No matter what happens, maintain airspeed despite distraction. For the conflicting aircraft - - even though not required, use radio in pattern (this was not a non-radio equipped plane).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFLICT BTWN 2 SMA SEL ACFT IN A NON CTLED TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: WAS FLYING PIPER ARROW. I HAD APCHED 2N9 FROM RDU, AND HAD MADE RADIO CALLS 3 MI ONT, 45 DEG ENTRY, DOWNWIND, AND TURNING BASE. THERE WERE 2 OTHER ACFT ON THE FREQ AND I WAS VISUALLY WATCHING 1 OF THEM (IT WAS ON FINAL RWY 4) AND WATCHING FOR ARR OF THE 2ND ONE. I SAW AN ACFT ABOVE ME APPROX 1/2 MI AWAY AS I TURNED BASE (HE APPEARED TO BE OVERHEAD THE FIELD, AND I THOUGHT HE WAS THE ARRIVING FLT I HAD BEEN HEARING. AS I CALLED MY BASE TURN, SOMEONE (DON'T KNOW WHICH ACFT) RESPONDED AND ASKED 'CALLING BASE TURN, DO YOU SEE THE ACFT ON DOWNWIND ABOUT TO TURN BASE?' I THEN REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A 3RD ACFT, NOT THE ARR I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR. HE WAS DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES IN PATTERN WITHOUT ANY RADIO CALLS. I RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT I WOULD EXTEND DOWNWIND, WHICH I DID, AND HE TURNED BASE INSIDE ME. BESIDES THE TFC CONFLICT, A MORE SUBTLE AND DANGEROUS THING OCCURRED. IN WATCHING THE CONFLICTING ACFT AT APPROX MY 7 O'CLOCK, I HAD BEEN DISTRACTED AND WAS SLOWLY RAISING THE NOSE WITHOUT REALIZING IT. WHEN I LOOKED BACK TO THE WINDSHIELD AND PANEL, AIRSPD HAD DECAYED UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO STALL. LESSONS/SUGGESTIONS: EVEN THOUGH CAREFULLY MONITORING CTAF AND MAKING CALLS, REMEMBER THERE MAY BE NO-RADIO ACFT AROUND. KEEP THE VISUAL SCAN GOING. BE SURE THE ACFT YOU SEE IS THE ONE YOU THINK IT IS -- THOUGH I SAW THIS ACFT, I THOUGHT HE WAS OVERHEAD FOR PATTERN ENTRY, NOT ABOUT TO TURN BASE INSIDE ME. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, MAINTAIN AIRSPD DESPITE DISTR. FOR THE CONFLICTING ACFT - - EVEN THOUGH NOT REQUIRED, USE RADIO IN PATTERN (THIS WAS NOT A NON-RADIO EQUIPPED PLANE).

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.