Near midair collision at non tower airport while in the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	304432
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : asw
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 120 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	304432
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 250 vertical : 250
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While approaching asw (warsaw, in) from the ene, I used my radio to cancel my flight plan when the airport was in sight. Then when I tried to contact asw unicom, the radio seemed full of interference. It later turned out that I had accidentally left the volume knob on the collins radio pulled out (so as to defeat the squelch). This made contact difficult. I may have heard someone self-announce departure on runway 18 from asw, but I am not sure. I announced on the CTAF when I was 2 mi east of the field that I would be entering a downwind for runway 18, l-hand traffic. I had just reached about 1700 ft MSL and established a heading of 360 degrees when I suddenly became aware of a gray high wing aircraft at a lower altitude climbing toward me on my left. He looked like he was on a heading of 090 degrees and he passed just behind me about 250 ft away. I was somewhat upset, but the landing continued normally. The near miss appeared to happen just about in line with runway 9 at warsaw. I believe I would have been more aware of traffic if my radio was not misadjusted with the volume knob pulled out. I had also neglected to turn on my landing light on approach to asw.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC AT NON TWR ARPT WHILE IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING ASW (WARSAW, IN) FROM THE ENE, I USED MY RADIO TO CANCEL MY FLT PLAN WHEN THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO CONTACT ASW UNICOM, THE RADIO SEEMED FULL OF INTERFERENCE. IT LATER TURNED OUT THAT I HAD ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THE VOLUME KNOB ON THE COLLINS RADIO PULLED OUT (SO AS TO DEFEAT THE SQUELCH). THIS MADE CONTACT DIFFICULT. I MAY HAVE HEARD SOMEONE SELF-ANNOUNCE DEP ON RWY 18 FROM ASW, BUT I AM NOT SURE. I ANNOUNCED ON THE CTAF WHEN I WAS 2 MI E OF THE FIELD THAT I WOULD BE ENTERING A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18, L-HAND TFC. I HAD JUST REACHED ABOUT 1700 FT MSL AND ESTABLISHED A HDG OF 360 DEGS WHEN I SUDDENLY BECAME AWARE OF A GRAY HIGH WING ACFT AT A LOWER ALT CLBING TOWARD ME ON MY L. HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS ON A HDG OF 090 DEGS AND HE PASSED JUST BEHIND ME ABOUT 250 FT AWAY. I WAS SOMEWHAT UPSET, BUT THE LNDG CONTINUED NORMALLY. THE NEAR MISS APPEARED TO HAPPEN JUST ABOUT IN LINE WITH RWY 9 AT WARSAW. I BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF TFC IF MY RADIO WAS NOT MISADJUSTED WITH THE VOLUME KNOB PULLED OUT. I HAD ALSO NEGLECTED TO TURN ON MY LNDG LIGHT ON APCH TO ASW.

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.