Narrative:

I had turned the volume on my communication radio all the way down in order to listen to AWOS on the navigation radio from the VOR. After recording the WX information (20 mi out), I turned off the volume of the navigation radio so I could hear the communication radio again, but I neglected to turn the communication volume back up as I was looking at the airport diagram and deciding which runway to use. I made standard radio calls following the aim's standard self-announce procedures for uncontrolled airports. Since I did not hear any replies to my radio calls, I assumed the airport was not in use. As I was getting ready to turn downwind, I had to take evasive action to miss another aircraft on crosswind. I then realized I had left the volume knob down on the communication radio, corrected the situation, and landed safely. Next time I go to an uncontrolled field, I will never assume the field is not in use simply from not hearing any other traffic on the radio. I will continue to scan diligently for traffic regardless of how much radio traffic there is. I will also get the WX information further away so I am not in a hurry to finalize arrival procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT, ABOUT TO TURN DOWNWIND AT KIKK, HAD AN NMAC WITH AN ACFT ON XWIND LEG.

Narrative: I HAD TURNED THE VOLUME ON MY COM RADIO ALL THE WAY DOWN IN ORDER TO LISTEN TO AWOS ON THE NAV RADIO FROM THE VOR. AFTER RECORDING THE WX INFO (20 MI OUT), I TURNED OFF THE VOLUME OF THE NAV RADIO SO I COULD HEAR THE COM RADIO AGAIN, BUT I NEGLECTED TO TURN THE COM VOLUME BACK UP AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND DECIDING WHICH RWY TO USE. I MADE STANDARD RADIO CALLS FOLLOWING THE AIM'S STANDARD SELF-ANNOUNCE PROCS FOR UNCTLED ARPTS. SINCE I DID NOT HEAR ANY REPLIES TO MY RADIO CALLS, I ASSUMED THE ARPT WAS NOT IN USE. AS I WAS GETTING READY TO TURN DOWNWIND, I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS ANOTHER ACFT ON XWIND. I THEN REALIZED I HAD LEFT THE VOLUME KNOB DOWN ON THE COM RADIO, CORRECTED THE SIT, AND LANDED SAFELY. NEXT TIME I GO TO AN UNCTLED FIELD, I WILL NEVER ASSUME THE FIELD IS NOT IN USE SIMPLY FROM NOT HEARING ANY OTHER TFC ON THE RADIO. I WILL CONTINUE TO SCAN DILIGENTLY FOR TFC REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH RADIO TFC THERE IS. I WILL ALSO GET THE WX INFO FURTHER AWAY SO I AM NOT IN A HURRY TO FINALIZE ARR PROCS.

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.