Narrative:

Incident: it was a very quiet afternoon around xa:00 pm local time at kmgj. Only myself and another low wing airplane were taxing for takeoff. No landing traffic. Before taxing. I listened to a AWOS (communication-1), which indicated that the current wind was 190 degree @ 9 knots. (I landed about 45 mins earlier on runway 03 as recommended by the unicom due to clam wind). The other airplane ahaead of me was taxing to runway 03...(this created a distraction to follow up on that airplane). I switched to CTAF 122.72 (communication-2) for announcement indicating that I will be taxing and departing from runway 21; keeping and eye on the other airplane taxing to the approach end of runway 03 (opposite direction). I did not hear any response or announcements, therefore, I assumed that the other airplane will either wait for my departure or will change it departure to runway 03. With my attention focused on the airplane, I self announced, for the second time, that I will taxi onto runway 21, and take off from runway 21, (still keeping my attention focused on the movement of the airplane at the taxiway close to the approach end of runway 03). Once I started entering onto runway 21, I realized that there was 3RD airplane (cessna 172) just exercised 'go around' probably due to my runway intrusion. I was initially annoyed that the cessna did not announced its landing intention., however to my great embarrassment...I realized that when I switched to communication-2 (CTAF), the knob was not correctly position. And that was the reason I did not hear any announcement...and no one could hear mine. Corrective action: 1) what one should have done(which I already included in my 'check list before taxing on non-towered airport') is to get a 'radio check' with the unicom...specially on days which are very quiet and almost no traffic. 2) also emphasize the risk of distraction: never let any unexpected distraction leads to neglect the importance of thorough pre-takeoff traffic scan. Contributing factors: other airplane taxing for takeoff on opposite runway in non-towered airport. Old switched on communication-1 and communication-2 (rental airplane). Human performance consideration: distraction led to un-thorough pre-takeoff scan for landing traffic. Pre-set mind that my communication is working, and the no response was due to very quiet afternoon flying activities. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said as soon as he realized an aircraft was approaching the runway, he quickly turned around and cleared the runway. He also stated that he heard and operator on the CTAF radio when he arrived earlier and when the radio problem was resolved after he departed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT IN A PA-28 AT MGJ ARPT TAXIES ON RWY WITHOUT MAKING A CLEARING TURN AND CONFLICTS WITH A LNDG C-172.

Narrative: INCIDENT: IT WAS A VERY QUIET AFTERNOON AROUND XA:00 PM LOCAL TIME AT KMGJ. ONLY MYSELF AND ANOTHER LOW WING AIRPLANE WERE TAXING FOR TKOF. NO LNDG TFC. BEFORE TAXING. I LISTENED TO A AWOS (COM-1), WHICH INDICATED THAT THE CURRENT WIND WAS 190 DEGREE @ 9 KNOTS. (I LANDED ABOUT 45 MINS EARLIER ON RWY 03 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE UNICOM DUE TO CLAM WIND). THE OTHER AIRPLANE AHAEAD OF ME WAS TAXING TO RWY 03...(THIS CREATED A DISTRACTION TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT AIRPLANE). I SWITCHED TO CTAF 122.72 (COM-2) FOR ANNOUNCEMENT INDICATING THAT I WILL BE TAXING AND DEPARTING FROM RWY 21; KEEPING AND EYE ON THE OTHER AIRPLANE TAXING TO THE APCH END OF RWY 03 (OPPOSITE DIRECTION). I DID NOT HEAR ANY RESPONSE OR ANNOUNCEMENTS, THEREFORE, I ASSUMED THAT THE OTHER AIRPLANE WILL EITHER WAIT FOR MY DEP OR WILL CHANGE IT DEP TO RWY 03. WITH MY ATTENTION FOCUSED ON THE AIRPLANE, I SELF ANNOUNCED, FOR THE SECOND TIME, THAT I WILL TAXI ONTO RWY 21, AND TAKE OFF FROM RWY 21, (STILL KEEPING MY ATTENTION FOCUSED ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TXWY CLOSE TO THE APCH END OF RWY 03). ONCE I STARTED ENTERING ONTO RWY 21, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS 3RD AIRPLANE (CESSNA 172) JUST EXERCISED 'GAR' PROBABLY DUE TO MY RWY INTRUSION. I WAS INITIALLY ANNOYED THAT THE CESSNA DID NOT ANNOUNCED ITS LNDG INTENTION., HOWEVER TO MY GREAT EMBARRASSMENT...I REALIZED THAT WHEN I SWITCHED TO COM-2 (CTAF), THE KNOB WAS NOT CORRECTLY POS. AND THAT WAS THE REASON I DID NOT HEAR ANY ANNOUNCEMENT...AND NO ONE COULD HEAR MINE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) WHAT ONE SHOULD HAVE DONE(WHICH I ALREADY INCLUDED IN MY 'CHECK LIST BEFORE TAXING ON NON-TOWERED AIRPORT') IS TO GET A 'RADIO CHECK' WITH THE UNICOM...SPECIALLY ON DAYS WHICH ARE VERY QUIET AND ALMOST NO TFC. 2) ALSO EMPHASIZE THE RISK OF DISTRACTION: NEVER LET ANY UNEXPECTED DISTRACTION LEADS TO NEGLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF THOROUGH PRE-TKOF TFC SCAN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: OTHER AIRPLANE TAXING FOR TKOF ON OPPOSITE RWY IN NON-TOWERED AIRPORT. OLD SWITCHED ON COM-1 AND COM-2 (RENTAL AIRPLANE). HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATION: DISTRACTION LED TO UN-THOROUGH PRE-TKOF SCAN FOR LNDG TFC. PRE-SET MIND THAT MY COM IS WORKING, AND THE NO RESPONSE WAS DUE TO VERY QUIET AFTERNOON FLYING ACTIVITIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID AS SOON AS HE REALIZED AN ACFT WAS APCHING THE RWY, HE QUICKLY TURNED AROUND AND CLRED THE RWY. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HEARD AND OPERATOR ON THE CTAF RADIO WHEN HE ARRIVED EARLIER AND WHEN THE RADIO PROB WAS RESOLVED AFTER HE DEPARTED.

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.