Cap C182 on search mission has near miss with C172 in the traffic pattern of uncontrolled airport.

Attributes
ACN	441090
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psf.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	441090
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	439175
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While performing a grid search mission in the vicinity of the pittsfield airport, we encountered another aircraft entering the traffic pattern. This aircraft was undetected and was not heard calling position or intentions on CTAF. I turned to the left to avoid aircraft. A left turn was made because other aircraft was off to my right. Other aircraft turned to his left after I turned. (Landing light on, strobes on, beacon on.) to prevent other such occurrences, I think the GA community should be made aware of such missions. During our flight we made frequent (3 xmissions per track) to announce our position and altitude calls on CTAF. Some pilots acknowledged our aircraft, while most elected not to. Supplemental information from acn 439175: we knew going into this mission that we would be in the vicinity of an uncontrolled airport. We also knew the altitude we needed to fly at to perform our mission was near the tpa of the airport. We set up a plan to make position calls periodically when we were operating in the vicinity of the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAP C182 ON SEARCH MISSION HAS NEAR MISS WITH C172 IN THE TFC PATTERN OF UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE PERFORMING A GRID SEARCH MISSION IN THE VICINITY OF THE PITTSFIELD ARPT, WE ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER ACFT ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN. THIS ACFT WAS UNDETECTED AND WAS NOT HEARD CALLING POS OR INTENTIONS ON CTAF. I TURNED TO THE L TO AVOID ACFT. A L TURN WAS MADE BECAUSE OTHER ACFT WAS OFF TO MY R. OTHER ACFT TURNED TO HIS L AFTER I TURNED. (LNDG LIGHT ON, STROBES ON, BEACON ON.) TO PREVENT OTHER SUCH OCCURRENCES, I THINK THE GA COMMUNITY SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF SUCH MISSIONS. DURING OUR FLT WE MADE FREQUENT (3 XMISSIONS PER TRACK) TO ANNOUNCE OUR POS AND ALT CALLS ON CTAF. SOME PLTS ACKNOWLEDGED OUR ACFT, WHILE MOST ELECTED NOT TO. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 439175: WE KNEW GOING INTO THIS MISSION THAT WE WOULD BE IN THE VICINITY OF AN UNCTLED ARPT. WE ALSO KNEW THE ALT WE NEEDED TO FLY AT TO PERFORM OUR MISSION WAS NEAR THE TPA OF THE ARPT. WE SET UP A PLAN TO MAKE POS CALLS PERIODICALLY WHEN WE WERE OPERATING IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT.

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.