Narrative:

The first officer was flying. We were en route to dan. ZDC kept us up high and when given a descent clearance, we had to hurry down. WX at dan (AWOS) reported as 1800 ft scattered, 10 mi visibility, and wind 090 degrees at 4 KTS. (The winds were just about a direct crosswind not favoring either runway, runway 2/20). Center advised us that she had someone just ahead of us get the airport in sight at 6 mi for a visual to runway 20. We descended to 3000 ft. At about 10 mi, we had the airport in sight. We reported the field in sight and canceled IFR. The controller advised us she observed 1 target that might be in the pattern. I switched to dan unicom and made a radio call stating our position and intentions. I got no reply. We lined up on a 10 mi final for runway 20, and made another position report on dan unicom. We got a reply from a piper warrior on crosswind for runway 2. No other aircraft were observed or heard. The winds did not favor runway 2. I decided it would be prudent to land on runway 20 since it would take the warrior much longer to complete the pattern, and we could not follow behind him at our greater speed. Another call was made to dan unicom reporting a 3 mi final to runway 20. On 1/4 mi final, we observed a C172 coming towards us, slightly above our altitude and in a right bank. The C172 never made any radio xmissions or its departure from runway 2. Looking back on the situation, I have to admit I felt some pressure to land without entering the full traffic pattern due to the cost of operating the jet. I should have been extra vigilant at an uncontrolled airport. Calling unicom and listening for traffic was good, but I should have taken it a step further. I have learned a valuable lesson to always enter the pattern on the downwind leg to help observe traffic that may not be on the radio at an uncontrolled airport. I am a professional pilot and I strive to run a safe and efficient operation. It was a real embarrassment for me when this happened, and I have taken steps to ensure it will never happen again. The first officer and I had a discussion of what happened and what we should have done, and we will do in the future. I am thankful no one was hurt and it was only a learning experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CE550 FLT CREW MADE A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO AN UNCTLED FIELD AND CONFLICTED WITH ANOTHER ACFT THAT DEPARTED ON THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION RWY.

Narrative: THE FO WAS FLYING. WE WERE ENRTE TO DAN. ZDC KEPT US UP HIGH AND WHEN GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC, WE HAD TO HURRY DOWN. WX AT DAN (AWOS) RPTED AS 1800 FT SCATTERED, 10 MI VISIBILITY, AND WIND 090 DEGS AT 4 KTS. (THE WINDS WERE JUST ABOUT A DIRECT XWIND NOT FAVORING EITHER RWY, RWY 2/20). CTR ADVISED US THAT SHE HAD SOMEONE JUST AHEAD OF US GET THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT 6 MI FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 20. WE DSNDED TO 3000 FT. AT ABOUT 10 MI, WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND CANCELED IFR. THE CTLR ADVISED US SHE OBSERVED 1 TARGET THAT MIGHT BE IN THE PATTERN. I SWITCHED TO DAN UNICOM AND MADE A RADIO CALL STATING OUR POS AND INTENTIONS. I GOT NO REPLY. WE LINED UP ON A 10 MI FINAL FOR RWY 20, AND MADE ANOTHER POS RPT ON DAN UNICOM. WE GOT A REPLY FROM A PIPER WARRIOR ON XWIND FOR RWY 2. NO OTHER ACFT WERE OBSERVED OR HEARD. THE WINDS DID NOT FAVOR RWY 2. I DECIDED IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO LAND ON RWY 20 SINCE IT WOULD TAKE THE WARRIOR MUCH LONGER TO COMPLETE THE PATTERN, AND WE COULD NOT FOLLOW BEHIND HIM AT OUR GREATER SPD. ANOTHER CALL WAS MADE TO DAN UNICOM RPTING A 3 MI FINAL TO RWY 20. ON 1/4 MI FINAL, WE OBSERVED A C172 COMING TOWARDS US, SLIGHTLY ABOVE OUR ALT AND IN A R BANK. THE C172 NEVER MADE ANY RADIO XMISSIONS OR ITS DEP FROM RWY 2. LOOKING BACK ON THE SIT, I HAVE TO ADMIT I FELT SOME PRESSURE TO LAND WITHOUT ENTERING THE FULL TFC PATTERN DUE TO THE COST OF OPERATING THE JET. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRA VIGILANT AT AN UNCTLED ARPT. CALLING UNICOM AND LISTENING FOR TFC WAS GOOD, BUT I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT A STEP FURTHER. I HAVE LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON TO ALWAYS ENTER THE PATTERN ON THE DOWNWIND LEG TO HELP OBSERVE TFC THAT MAY NOT BE ON THE RADIO AT AN UNCTLED ARPT. I AM A PROFESSIONAL PLT AND I STRIVE TO RUN A SAFE AND EFFICIENT OP. IT WAS A REAL EMBARRASSMENT FOR ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND I HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. THE FO AND I HAD A DISCUSSION OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE, AND WE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE. I AM THANKFUL NO ONE WAS HURT AND IT WAS ONLY A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

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.