Near midair collision between a beech baron, twin on final to the departure end of the runway in use and a single engine cessna just departing from the runway after takeoff. The baron immediately took evasive action by turning, and climbing, out of the way and recognized his mistake of runways. Since he had announced the correct runway to which he was approaching, the other pilot was startled and exclaimed when he observed him coming at him.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	378016
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gai
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 39 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	378016
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Uneventful VFR flight from hpn to gai which I have made many times before both VFR and IFR -- announced position on CTAF beginning 8 mi northeast of airport and listened to traffic for landing runway which was runway 32. Reported pattern entry, downwind and base for runway 32. When turning final encountered opposite direction high wing cessna which had just taken off. Made evasive climbing left turn with realization that I had turned final for runway 14 and not runway 32. Cessna pilot exclaimed 'nice pattern entry, baron.' my head must have been up and locked. Wind was almost calm at time of landing (according to AWOS) and runway has pronounced slope. I made mental assumption that lndgs would be up hill. I failed to observe aircraft on ground or compass heading since I was so familiar with gai. As ATP and flight instructor, I am aware of human failings even with most experienced pilots. Complacency kills. At least I was alert for traffic. I hope to learn from this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A BEECH BARON, TWIN ON FINAL TO THE DEP END OF THE RWY IN USE AND A SINGLE ENG CESSNA JUST DEPARTING FROM THE RWY AFTER TKOF. THE BARON IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING, AND CLBING, OUT OF THE WAY AND RECOGNIZED HIS MISTAKE OF RWYS. SINCE HE HAD ANNOUNCED THE CORRECT RWY TO WHICH HE WAS APCHING, THE OTHER PLT WAS STARTLED AND EXCLAIMED WHEN HE OBSERVED HIM COMING AT HIM.

Narrative: UNEVENTFUL VFR FLT FROM HPN TO GAI WHICH I HAVE MADE MANY TIMES BEFORE BOTH VFR AND IFR -- ANNOUNCED POS ON CTAF BEGINNING 8 MI NE OF ARPT AND LISTENED TO TFC FOR LNDG RWY WHICH WAS RWY 32. RPTED PATTERN ENTRY, DOWNWIND AND BASE FOR RWY 32. WHEN TURNING FINAL ENCOUNTERED OPPOSITE DIRECTION HIGH WING CESSNA WHICH HAD JUST TAKEN OFF. MADE EVASIVE CLBING L TURN WITH REALIZATION THAT I HAD TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 14 AND NOT RWY 32. CESSNA PLT EXCLAIMED 'NICE PATTERN ENTRY, BARON.' MY HEAD MUST HAVE BEEN UP AND LOCKED. WIND WAS ALMOST CALM AT TIME OF LNDG (ACCORDING TO AWOS) AND RWY HAS PRONOUNCED SLOPE. I MADE MENTAL ASSUMPTION THAT LNDGS WOULD BE UP HILL. I FAILED TO OBSERVE ACFT ON GND OR COMPASS HEADING SINCE I WAS SO FAMILIAR WITH GAI. AS ATP AND FLT INSTRUCTOR, I AM AWARE OF HUMAN FAILINGS EVEN WITH MOST EXPERIENCED PLTS. COMPLACENCY KILLS. AT LEAST I WAS ALERT FOR TFC. I HOPE TO LEARN FROM THIS INCIDENT.

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.