Narrative:

I am checking out the newest member of our club in our C177B. We were in the pattern with several other aircraft and were properly spaced behind a centurion that was ahead of us. We made radio calls regularly with our position, as had several others, and everyone appeared to be properly spaced in the pattern. We were on about a 1/2 mi final when we heard over CTAF that there were 2 aircraft on short final. Another pilot said there was a twin cessna turning base to final on top of another cessna (us!) and that we should each pull out of there! We turned about 20 degrees to the left (away from right traffic pattern) and started a gradual climb. I assumed the other aircraft was above us since we were high wing and they were low wing, so was careful not to climb abruptly. The twin cessna had not made any radio calls prior to that point. I assume the twin cessna had the centurion in sight thinking it was us. In the future, I (and my students) will be very specific about where we are in the pattern, ie 'cessna cardinal, long final, #2 behind the centurion.' flying defensively is essential. I never did see the twin, but he eventually called 'going around.' we went to a less crowded airport to practice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177B PLT, GIVING A CLUB CHKOUT, WAS NOTIFIED OVER CTAF BY AN ALERT OBSERVER THAT A TWIN CESSNA WAS DIRECTLY ABOVE THE RPTR ON SHORT FINAL TO O69.

Narrative: I AM CHKING OUT THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR CLUB IN OUR C177B. WE WERE IN THE PATTERN WITH SEVERAL OTHER ACFT AND WERE PROPERLY SPACED BEHIND A CENTURION THAT WAS AHEAD OF US. WE MADE RADIO CALLS REGULARLY WITH OUR POS, AS HAD SEVERAL OTHERS, AND EVERYONE APPEARED TO BE PROPERLY SPACED IN THE PATTERN. WE WERE ON ABOUT A 1/2 MI FINAL WHEN WE HEARD OVER CTAF THAT THERE WERE 2 ACFT ON SHORT FINAL. ANOTHER PLT SAID THERE WAS A TWIN CESSNA TURNING BASE TO FINAL ON TOP OF ANOTHER CESSNA (US!) AND THAT WE SHOULD EACH PULL OUT OF THERE! WE TURNED ABOUT 20 DEGS TO THE L (AWAY FROM R TFC PATTERN) AND STARTED A GRADUAL CLB. I ASSUMED THE OTHER ACFT WAS ABOVE US SINCE WE WERE HIGH WING AND THEY WERE LOW WING, SO WAS CAREFUL NOT TO CLB ABRUPTLY. THE TWIN CESSNA HAD NOT MADE ANY RADIO CALLS PRIOR TO THAT POINT. I ASSUME THE TWIN CESSNA HAD THE CENTURION IN SIGHT THINKING IT WAS US. IN THE FUTURE, I (AND MY STUDENTS) WILL BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PATTERN, IE 'CESSNA CARDINAL, LONG FINAL, #2 BEHIND THE CENTURION.' FLYING DEFENSIVELY IS ESSENTIAL. I NEVER DID SEE THE TWIN, BUT HE EVENTUALLY CALLED 'GOING AROUND.' WE WENT TO A LESS CROWDED ARPT TO PRACTICE.

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.