Near midair collision between an amateur built aircraft entering the downwind leg of a non tower airport and another aircraft climbing and turning also to the downwind leg. The reporting pilot was announcing his position and intentions on unicom. The other aircraft turned to avoid a potential collision.

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Attributes
ACN	400414
Time
Date	199804
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 304 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	400414
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 275 vertical : 75
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 enters non controled traffic pattern on 45 degree to downwind, announced entry 3 mi out. Second aircraft saw pulse lights from aircraft #1, but made climbing left turn to crosswind after takeoff. Aircraft #2 proceeded to begin entry to downwind leg as aircraft #1 was turning right to enter downwind leg as well opposite the departure end of runway. Aircraft #2 turned left entering a crosswind to avoid the conflict. I believe this could have been avoided had aircraft #2 extended his upwind before turning into the downwind leg. There was a lot of chatter on the radio at the time, making it difficult to discern who was where in the vicinity of the airport. A conversation with the pilot of aircraft #2 revealed that he had heard our call to enter 45 degrees to downwind and had seen our pulse lights for some distance, but proceeded to turn toward us anyway -- perhaps hoping to cut in front of us. I believe he put us all in harm's way by his actions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN AMATEUR BUILT ACFT ENTERING THE DOWNWIND LEG OF A NON TWR ARPT AND ANOTHER ACFT CLBING AND TURNING ALSO TO THE DOWNWIND LEG. THE RPTING PLT WAS ANNOUNCING HIS POS AND INTENTIONS ON UNICOM. THE OTHER ACFT TURNED TO AVOID A POTENTIAL COLLISION.

Narrative: ACFT #1 ENTERS NON CTLED TFC PATTERN ON 45 DEG TO DOWNWIND, ANNOUNCED ENTRY 3 MI OUT. SECOND ACFT SAW PULSE LIGHTS FROM ACFT #1, BUT MADE CLBING L TURN TO XWIND AFTER TKOF. ACFT #2 PROCEEDED TO BEGIN ENTRY TO DOWNWIND LEG AS ACFT #1 WAS TURNING R TO ENTER DOWNWIND LEG AS WELL OPPOSITE THE DEP END OF RWY. ACFT #2 TURNED L ENTERING A XWIND TO AVOID THE CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD ACFT #2 EXTENDED HIS UPWIND BEFORE TURNING INTO THE DOWNWIND LEG. THERE WAS A LOT OF CHATTER ON THE RADIO AT THE TIME, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DISCERN WHO WAS WHERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. A CONVERSATION WITH THE PLT OF ACFT #2 REVEALED THAT HE HAD HEARD OUR CALL TO ENTER 45 DEGS TO DOWNWIND AND HAD SEEN OUR PULSE LIGHTS FOR SOME DISTANCE, BUT PROCEEDED TO TURN TOWARD US ANYWAY -- PERHAPS HOPING TO CUT IN FRONT OF US. I BELIEVE HE PUT US ALL IN HARM'S WAY BY HIS ACTIONS.

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.