An small aircraft, on a government mission, descends into uva, tx, and has an near midair collision with a glider in the traffic pattern. Airport was not controled and small aircraft pilot had radio turned low and never heard any radio advisory messages.

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Attributes
ACN	392747
Time
Date	199802
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : uva
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3250 flight time type : 480
ASRS Report	392747
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from sat to uva. Once clear of sat approach control area I contacted company via UHF radio. They did not answer at first and I began assessing the problem. During this time I turned the #1 communication volume down. When 15 NM east of uva I made an initial call on unicom. A second call was made at 5 NM east. No response from ground or other aircraft heard. After stating my intentions I crossed the field right of mid-field at 2500 ft. Just on the downwind side of the traffic I got a glimpse of a glider 400-500 ft below. I completed the traffic pattern making calls and did a touch and go landing, departing area to the north. Later I noticed the #1 communication volume being turned down. This was the reason I heard no calls. However, I did not hear any traffic afterward. My turning the #1 communication volume down and then not resetting it caused this problem. The next time I get no response at an uncontrolled field I will double check the volume control. Even though visibility was excellent I did not see the glider ahead and below until I flew over him. We need to be careful in these sits and not become complacent about normal light traffic airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA, ON A GOV MISSION, DSNDS INTO UVA, TX, AND HAS AN NMAC WITH A GLIDER IN THE TFC PATTERN. ARPT WAS NOT CTLED AND SMA PLT HAD RADIO TURNED LOW AND NEVER HEARD ANY RADIO ADVISORY MESSAGES.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM SAT TO UVA. ONCE CLR OF SAT APCH CTL AREA I CONTACTED COMPANY VIA UHF RADIO. THEY DID NOT ANSWER AT FIRST AND I BEGAN ASSESSING THE PROB. DURING THIS TIME I TURNED THE #1 COM VOLUME DOWN. WHEN 15 NM E OF UVA I MADE AN INITIAL CALL ON UNICOM. A SECOND CALL WAS MADE AT 5 NM E. NO RESPONSE FROM GND OR OTHER ACFT HEARD. AFTER STATING MY INTENTIONS I CROSSED THE FIELD R OF MID-FIELD AT 2500 FT. JUST ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF THE TFC I GOT A GLIMPSE OF A GLIDER 400-500 FT BELOW. I COMPLETED THE TFC PATTERN MAKING CALLS AND DID A TOUCH AND GO LNDG, DEPARTING AREA TO THE N. LATER I NOTICED THE #1 COM VOLUME BEING TURNED DOWN. THIS WAS THE REASON I HEARD NO CALLS. HOWEVER, I DID NOT HEAR ANY TFC AFTERWARD. MY TURNING THE #1 COM VOLUME DOWN AND THEN NOT RESETTING IT CAUSED THIS PROB. THE NEXT TIME I GET NO RESPONSE AT AN UNCTLED FIELD I WILL DOUBLE CHK THE VOLUME CTL. EVEN THOUGH VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT I DID NOT SEE THE GLIDER AHEAD AND BELOW UNTIL I FLEW OVER HIM. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL IN THESE SITS AND NOT BECOME COMPLACENT ABOUT NORMAL LIGHT TFC ARPTS.

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.