Narrative:

I departed hnl on westloch 3 departure. Services with hnl departure control were terminated 3-4 mi southeast of the waipatu sugar mill. I squawked 1200 and switched to nps frequency 122.80. I announced inbound for landing approximately 1-2 mi south of the waipatu sugar mill, 1500 ft MSL, as required, by state published 'hawaii airports and flying safety manual,' when inbound for runway 22. Nps unicom told me to 'report the sugar mill, enter right downwind for runway 22, one in the pattern.' I reported passing over the waipatu sugar mill at 1000 ft MSL and said, 'confirm are in the pattern?' nps replied, 'affirmative.' as I got closer, I inquired about the location of the other airplane. Nps unicom said, 'they're on a crosswind now.' I scanned for traffic off to my 12-1 O'clock position and reported, 'I have the traffic.' it was my thought process at the time that I should make a left 360 degree turn for separation. I wanted to give the other airplane time to turn downwind and pass me so I could be behind, #2, and keep the traffic in sight. Therefore, I reported, 'I'm going to make a left 360 degree turn now for separation.' during my turn I descended from 1000 ft MSL to 800 ft MSL because the pattern altitude at nps is 600 ft MSL and I didn't want to have to dive down on the downwind. As I turned back towards nps, I saw an airplane to my 3-4 O'clock position, slightly lower, and at about 1/2 - 1 mi away headed towards runway 4. I had no idea it was the same airplane I saw on a crosswind earlier. I assumed the airplane was going to turn from crosswind to downwind between the nps runway and the pearl city peninsula as published in the 'manual.' the airplane started a right 360 degree turn of its own, and I immediately turned left and entered a downwind for runway 22. The airplane asked nps unicom, 'what's that cessna doing?' I replied 'I did a left 360 degree turn for separation, and I thought you were going to keep your pattern in tighter on the downwind.' the airplane replied, 'you almost hit us when you turned back towards nps.' in rethinking this occurrence over an hour, I realized that I should've asked the type of aircraft and horsepwr or speed. I could've had better judgement on whether or not I should've entered the downwind earlier. Also, because many pilots don't keep the proper pattern, I shouldn't have assumed other airplanes are where they're supposed to be or go. In addition to the above, the other airplane didn't make downwind or base leg announcements. Suggestions: 1) make reports in pattern. 2) listen to others making reports, ie, left 360 degrees for separation. 3) fly the proper pattern please.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT HAS A CONFLICT WITH A LOW WINGED LIGHT ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN AT 38Z, HI.

Narrative: I DEPARTED HNL ON WESTLOCH 3 DEP. SVCS WITH HNL DEP CTL WERE TERMINATED 3-4 MI SE OF THE WAIPATU SUGAR MILL. I SQUAWKED 1200 AND SWITCHED TO NPS FREQ 122.80. I ANNOUNCED INBOUND FOR LNDG APPROX 1-2 MI S OF THE WAIPATU SUGAR MILL, 1500 FT MSL, AS REQUIRED, BY STATE PUBLISHED 'HAWAII ARPTS AND FLYING SAFETY MANUAL,' WHEN INBOUND FOR RWY 22. NPS UNICOM TOLD ME TO 'RPT THE SUGAR MILL, ENTER R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22, ONE IN THE PATTERN.' I RPTED PASSING OVER THE WAIPATU SUGAR MILL AT 1000 FT MSL AND SAID, 'CONFIRM ARE IN THE PATTERN?' NPS REPLIED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' AS I GOT CLOSER, I INQUIRED ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE. NPS UNICOM SAID, 'THEY'RE ON A XWIND NOW.' I SCANNED FOR TFC OFF TO MY 12-1 O'CLOCK POS AND RPTED, 'I HAVE THE TFC.' IT WAS MY THOUGHT PROCESS AT THE TIME THAT I SHOULD MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN FOR SEPARATION. I WANTED TO GIVE THE OTHER AIRPLANE TIME TO TURN DOWNWIND AND PASS ME SO I COULD BE BEHIND, #2, AND KEEP THE TFC IN SIGHT. THEREFORE, I RPTED, 'I'M GOING TO MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN NOW FOR SEPARATION.' DURING MY TURN I DSNDED FROM 1000 FT MSL TO 800 FT MSL BECAUSE THE PATTERN ALT AT NPS IS 600 FT MSL AND I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO DIVE DOWN ON THE DOWNWIND. AS I TURNED BACK TOWARDS NPS, I SAW AN AIRPLANE TO MY 3-4 O'CLOCK POS, SLIGHTLY LOWER, AND AT ABOUT 1/2 - 1 MI AWAY HEADED TOWARDS RWY 4. I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS THE SAME AIRPLANE I SAW ON A XWIND EARLIER. I ASSUMED THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO TURN FROM XWIND TO DOWNWIND BTWN THE NPS RWY AND THE PEARL CITY PENINSULA AS PUBLISHED IN THE 'MANUAL.' THE AIRPLANE STARTED A R 360 DEG TURN OF ITS OWN, AND I IMMEDIATELY TURNED L AND ENTERED A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22. THE AIRPLANE ASKED NPS UNICOM, 'WHAT'S THAT CESSNA DOING?' I REPLIED 'I DID A L 360 DEG TURN FOR SEPARATION, AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO KEEP YOUR PATTERN IN TIGHTER ON THE DOWNWIND.' THE AIRPLANE REPLIED, 'YOU ALMOST HIT US WHEN YOU TURNED BACK TOWARDS NPS.' IN RETHINKING THIS OCCURRENCE OVER AN HR, I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD'VE ASKED THE TYPE OF ACFT AND HORSEPWR OR SPD. I COULD'VE HAD BETTER JUDGEMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD'VE ENTERED THE DOWNWIND EARLIER. ALSO, BECAUSE MANY PLTS DON'T KEEP THE PROPER PATTERN, I SHOULDN'T HAVE ASSUMED OTHER AIRPLANES ARE WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OR GO. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, THE OTHER AIRPLANE DIDN'T MAKE DOWNWIND OR BASE LEG ANNOUNCEMENTS. SUGGESTIONS: 1) MAKE RPTS IN PATTERN. 2) LISTEN TO OTHERS MAKING RPTS, IE, L 360 DEGS FOR SEPARATION. 3) FLY THE PROPER PATTERN PLEASE.

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.