Narrative:

I was flying an aerobatic sequence in borrego's waivered box. I was monitoring 123.15 while in the box. After completing the sequence, I exited the box at 3000 ft AGL, switched to unicom on 122.8, and heard the cessna 182 report downwind for runway 7. I reported 'overhead the field' outbound for a 45 degree entry. I proceeded outbound for approximately 30-45 seconds and made a 180 degree turn to the 45 degree. I reported '45 degrees inbound' and received no response from the C182. I was looking downwind, base, and final searching for the C182. I had no contact. I then turned to downwind at midfield and 1000 ft AGL and transmitted that I was turning downwind and asked the C182 where he was. At this time, the C182 transmitted that I had just 'cut him off.' both of us proceeded to make normal lndgs. I preceded the C182 since I was already in front and apologized for cutting in front. At no time did I have visual contact with the C182. Fortunately, there was no midair between our aircraft. In reviewing this incident, I should have been searching upwind for this traffic. I had assumed that when he reported downwind, that he was roughly midfield. The C182 pilot could have made a standard 45 degree entry to the pattern instead of the nonstandard downwind entry. He could have been more explicit as to where he was on the downwind. He admitted that he had heard my xmissions, and could have stated where he was when I reported inbound on the 45 degree and he didn't have me in sight. Finally, there could well have been a 'high wing/low wing' situation that made it difficult for either of us to see the other. The situation could have been eliminated had the C182 flown a standard pattern entry or both of us doing a better job of communicating our position when neither of us had the other in sight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TFC CONFLICT OCCURS AT A NON TWR ARPT WHEN THE 2 PLTS OF THE SEPARATE ACFT FAIL TO COMMUNICATE PROPERLY WITH EACH OTHER AT L08, CA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN AEROBATIC SEQUENCE IN BORREGO'S WAIVERED BOX. I WAS MONITORING 123.15 WHILE IN THE BOX. AFTER COMPLETING THE SEQUENCE, I EXITED THE BOX AT 3000 FT AGL, SWITCHED TO UNICOM ON 122.8, AND HEARD THE CESSNA 182 RPT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 7. I RPTED 'OVERHEAD THE FIELD' OUTBOUND FOR A 45 DEG ENTRY. I PROCEEDED OUTBOUND FOR APPROX 30-45 SECONDS AND MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO THE 45 DEG. I RPTED '45 DEGS INBOUND' AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE C182. I WAS LOOKING DOWNWIND, BASE, AND FINAL SEARCHING FOR THE C182. I HAD NO CONTACT. I THEN TURNED TO DOWNWIND AT MIDFIELD AND 1000 FT AGL AND XMITTED THAT I WAS TURNING DOWNWIND AND ASKED THE C182 WHERE HE WAS. AT THIS TIME, THE C182 XMITTED THAT I HAD JUST 'CUT HIM OFF.' BOTH OF US PROCEEDED TO MAKE NORMAL LNDGS. I PRECEDED THE C182 SINCE I WAS ALREADY IN FRONT AND APOLOGIZED FOR CUTTING IN FRONT. AT NO TIME DID I HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE C182. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO MIDAIR BTWN OUR ACFT. IN REVIEWING THIS INCIDENT, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEARCHING UPWIND FOR THIS TFC. I HAD ASSUMED THAT WHEN HE RPTED DOWNWIND, THAT HE WAS ROUGHLY MIDFIELD. THE C182 PLT COULD HAVE MADE A STANDARD 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE PATTERN INSTEAD OF THE NONSTANDARD DOWNWIND ENTRY. HE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE EXPLICIT AS TO WHERE HE WAS ON THE DOWNWIND. HE ADMITTED THAT HE HAD HEARD MY XMISSIONS, AND COULD HAVE STATED WHERE HE WAS WHEN I RPTED INBOUND ON THE 45 DEG AND HE DIDN'T HAVE ME IN SIGHT. FINALLY, THERE COULD WELL HAVE BEEN A 'HIGH WING/LOW WING' SIT THAT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR EITHER OF US TO SEE THE OTHER. THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED HAD THE C182 FLOWN A STANDARD PATTERN ENTRY OR BOTH OF US DOING A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING OUR POS WHEN NEITHER OF US HAD THE OTHER IN SIGHT.

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.