Narrative:

We were returning to the visalia airport from the southwest, prevailing winds favored a landing on runway 12. Some pilots were departing runway 30. I decided to fly north and enter traffic pattern at 2000 ft MSL, descend and maneuver southeast for a 45 degree entry. An aircraft reported departing 12 with a left crosswind for departure, expected. At approximately 4 mi northeast of the pattern at visalia municipal, we descended to 1200 ft MSL. Airport elevation of 295 ft MSL, traffic pattern is 1295 ft MSL. I looked right, clearing traffic and turned south from an easterly heading. Preparing to climb to pattern altitude and slow to vge speed. I lowered right wing and nose to look for traffic and saw an aircraft instantly cross over our aircraft at about 50 ft above us. I recognized the aircraft as a straight tail beech single retractable. I maintained 1200 ft and visually tracked the opposing aircraft to our 7 O'clock position. We continued to a point when I could safely climb and extend gear prior to entering the traffic pattern. We entered the pattern from 2 mi southeast at a 45 degree live intersect to the downwind track. We landed, taxied, shut down, and observed a beechcraft 35 land and taxi. During the entire time, we don't believe we heard any radio xmissions from the beechcraft, however we did have the other aircraft traffic calls.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC PATTERN CONFLICT AND AN NMAC AT 1200 FT MSL BTWN A PA32R AND A BE35 3 NM E OF VIS, CA.

Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING TO THE VISALIA ARPT FROM THE SW, PREVAILING WINDS FAVORED A LNDG ON RWY 12. SOME PLTS WERE DEPARTING RWY 30. I DECIDED TO FLY N AND ENTER TFC PATTERN AT 2000 FT MSL, DSND AND MANEUVER SE FOR A 45 DEG ENTRY. AN ACFT RPTED DEPARTING 12 WITH A L XWIND FOR DEP, EXPECTED. AT APPROX 4 MI NE OF THE PATTERN AT VISALIA MUNI, WE DSNDED TO 1200 FT MSL. ARPT ELEVATION OF 295 FT MSL, TFC PATTERN IS 1295 FT MSL. I LOOKED R, CLRING TFC AND TURNED S FROM AN EASTERLY HEADING. PREPARING TO CLB TO PATTERN ALT AND SLOW TO VGE SPD. I LOWERED R WING AND NOSE TO LOOK FOR TFC AND SAW AN ACFT INSTANTLY CROSS OVER OUR ACFT AT ABOUT 50 FT ABOVE US. I RECOGNIZED THE ACFT AS A STRAIGHT TAIL BEECH SINGLE RETRACTABLE. I MAINTAINED 1200 FT AND VISUALLY TRACKED THE OPPOSING ACFT TO OUR 7 O'CLOCK POS. WE CONTINUED TO A POINT WHEN I COULD SAFELY CLB AND EXTEND GEAR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN. WE ENTERED THE PATTERN FROM 2 MI SE AT A 45 DEG LIVE INTERSECT TO THE DOWNWIND TRACK. WE LANDED, TAXIED, SHUT DOWN, AND OBSERVED A BEECHCRAFT 35 LAND AND TAXI. DURING THE ENTIRE TIME, WE DON'T BELIEVE WE HEARD ANY RADIO XMISSIONS FROM THE BEECHCRAFT, HOWEVER WE DID HAVE THE OTHER ACFT TFC CALLS.

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.