Narrative:

I made a 10 mi call inbound to hqz, a call on the 45 degree entry to left downwind for runway 17, a downwind call, a base leg call, and a call turning to final for runway 17. As I was entering the 2 mi, 45 degree entry for the left downwind, I heard 2 other aircraft on frequency. One was crossing midfield to enter the left downwind for runway 17, and the other aircraft made a call for a straight-in approach for runway 17. I continued to look for these aircraft, but never spotted them. I extended my downwind out to highway 80 (approximately 2 mi beyond the touchdown point) while I was looking for the other traffic. I turned left on the base leg, and made my call on the unicom frequency while still looking for conflicting traffic. I still did not see the other aircraft, possibly due to the setting sun in the west being in my eyes. I did not hear any other calls from the other aircraft after starting the 45 degree entry leg. I made my call for final to runway 17 in the turn. Shortly after rolling out on final, there was an emergency call from a C150 training aircraft that was 50 ft above me on final. I immediately made a left 360 degree turn to clear final and return for a full-stop landing. At no point did I see either of the other aircraft in the pattern even though I was conscious that they were there somewhere ahead of me, and I was listening intently for their radio calls. Far, aim procedures, and see-and-avoid techniques were followed throughout the entire time. Human performance considerations include: the low sun in the west made it difficult for me to spot other aircraft, the non-standard entry made by the aircraft making the straight-in approach to the runway contributed to the conflict in traffic, the other aircraft were not making sufficient position reports to indicate where they were in the course of their approachs. Next time, before I make my turn to base leg or final, I will query the other pilots to confirm their position when I am unable to spot where they are.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CHEROKEE 180 SINGLE PLT EXPERIENCED AN NMAC AT AN UNCTLED FIELD, HQZ, WHILE ON FINAL APCH WITH A C150.

Narrative: I MADE A 10 MI CALL INBOUND TO HQZ, A CALL ON THE 45 DEG ENTRY TO L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17, A DOWNWIND CALL, A BASE LEG CALL, AND A CALL TURNING TO FINAL FOR RWY 17. AS I WAS ENTERING THE 2 MI, 45 DEG ENTRY FOR THE L DOWNWIND, I HEARD 2 OTHER ACFT ON FREQ. ONE WAS XING MIDFIELD TO ENTER THE L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17, AND THE OTHER ACFT MADE A CALL FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH FOR RWY 17. I CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR THESE ACFT, BUT NEVER SPOTTED THEM. I EXTENDED MY DOWNWIND OUT TO HWY 80 (APPROX 2 MI BEYOND THE TOUCHDOWN POINT) WHILE I WAS LOOKING FOR THE OTHER TFC. I TURNED L ON THE BASE LEG, AND MADE MY CALL ON THE UNICOM FREQ WHILE STILL LOOKING FOR CONFLICTING TFC. I STILL DID NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE SETTING SUN IN THE W BEING IN MY EYES. I DID NOT HEAR ANY OTHER CALLS FROM THE OTHER ACFT AFTER STARTING THE 45 DEG ENTRY LEG. I MADE MY CALL FOR FINAL TO RWY 17 IN THE TURN. SHORTLY AFTER ROLLING OUT ON FINAL, THERE WAS AN EMER CALL FROM A C150 TRAINING ACFT THAT WAS 50 FT ABOVE ME ON FINAL. I IMMEDIATELY MADE A L 360 DEG TURN TO CLR FINAL AND RETURN FOR A FULL-STOP LNDG. AT NO POINT DID I SEE EITHER OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN EVEN THOUGH I WAS CONSCIOUS THAT THEY WERE THERE SOMEWHERE AHEAD OF ME, AND I WAS LISTENING INTENTLY FOR THEIR RADIO CALLS. FAR, AIM PROCS, AND SEE-AND-AVOID TECHNIQUES WERE FOLLOWED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE: THE LOW SUN IN THE W MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SPOT OTHER ACFT, THE NON-STANDARD ENTRY MADE BY THE ACFT MAKING THE STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO THE RWY CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFLICT IN TFC, THE OTHER ACFT WERE NOT MAKING SUFFICIENT POS RPTS TO INDICATE WHERE THEY WERE IN THE COURSE OF THEIR APCHS. NEXT TIME, BEFORE I MAKE MY TURN TO BASE LEG OR FINAL, I WILL QUERY THE OTHER PLTS TO CONFIRM THEIR POS WHEN I AM UNABLE TO SPOT WHERE THEY ARE.

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.