Narrative:

While on final for a small glider/parachuting airport, I heard a tow plane announce final in the opposite direction. Commenced go around. This was frustrating because I had made numerous calls both to determine the runway in use (unanswered) and to alert other aircraft. The other apologized. After climbing to altitude, entered pattern on other side and made several calls. Touched down a little long and hot (no doubt the extra speed coming from trying to complete the pattern quickly before gliders in the area needed the strip). After touching down, noted tow plane stopped on runway facing toward me! Flatspotted tires mildly in enthusiasm to stop the aircraft. Contributing factors in my opinion: my failure to ensure the strip was clear. Preoccupation with staying clear of gliders. Expecting aircraft to clear the runway after landing. Possible garbled radio xmissions (this was reported, although subsequent tests of transmitters proved negative, in any event the first aircraft replied to my call). General casual air about the field. (The strip is pvtly held, and traffic is usually 'in the family.' being familiar with the somewhat unusual operational practices there would help a visitor. It might be noted that at least 1 modest size retail establishment catering to the public (parachute shop) is located there. Conclusions: small cozy little fields can be a pack of trouble especially on the wkends. Especially for pilots more used to big city metros.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA24 PLT COMPLAINT ABOUT A PVTLY OWNED ARPT THAT CATERS TO GLIDER TOW OPS AND THEIR 'LOOSE' ATTITUDE TOWARDS REGS AND PROTOCOL. HAS A NEAR GND COLLISION WHILE LNDG ON RWY ONLY TO FIND A PARKED ACFT THERE, UNANNOUNCED OF COURSE.

Narrative: WHILE ON FINAL FOR A SMALL GLIDER/PARACHUTING ARPT, I HEARD A TOW PLANE ANNOUNCE FINAL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. COMMENCED GAR. THIS WAS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I HAD MADE NUMEROUS CALLS BOTH TO DETERMINE THE RWY IN USE (UNANSWERED) AND TO ALERT OTHER ACFT. THE OTHER APOLOGIZED. AFTER CLBING TO ALT, ENTERED PATTERN ON OTHER SIDE AND MADE SEVERAL CALLS. TOUCHED DOWN A LITTLE LONG AND HOT (NO DOUBT THE EXTRA SPD COMING FROM TRYING TO COMPLETE THE PATTERN QUICKLY BEFORE GLIDERS IN THE AREA NEEDED THE STRIP). AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, NOTED TOW PLANE STOPPED ON RWY FACING TOWARD ME! FLATSPOTTED TIRES MILDLY IN ENTHUSIASM TO STOP THE ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN MY OPINION: MY FAILURE TO ENSURE THE STRIP WAS CLR. PREOCCUPATION WITH STAYING CLR OF GLIDERS. EXPECTING ACFT TO CLR THE RWY AFTER LNDG. POSSIBLE GARBLED RADIO XMISSIONS (THIS WAS RPTED, ALTHOUGH SUBSEQUENT TESTS OF XMITTERS PROVED NEGATIVE, IN ANY EVENT THE FIRST ACFT REPLIED TO MY CALL). GENERAL CASUAL AIR ABOUT THE FIELD. (THE STRIP IS PVTLY HELD, AND TFC IS USUALLY 'IN THE FAMILY.' BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL OPERATIONAL PRACTICES THERE WOULD HELP A VISITOR. IT MIGHT BE NOTED THAT AT LEAST 1 MODEST SIZE RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT CATERING TO THE PUBLIC (PARACHUTE SHOP) IS LOCATED THERE. CONCLUSIONS: SMALL COZY LITTLE FIELDS CAN BE A PACK OF TROUBLE ESPECIALLY ON THE WKENDS. ESPECIALLY FOR PLTS MORE USED TO BIG CITY METROS.

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.