Near midair collision between a C172 and a PA28 on the entry leg for runway 25 at 47N, nj.

Attributes
ACN	616392
Time
Date	200405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 47n.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 72 flight time type : 69
ASRS Report	616392
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : detected after the fact
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was en route to 47N from the northwest (announced 5 mi out). Overflew to the field at 2000 ft MSL (announced) and began a descent to pattern altitude. About 3 NM past the field, I made a 230 degree turn to the right for the 45 degree entry to the left downwind at midfield of runway 25 (announced) and heard a static radio call from a piper (mostly illegible). I continued on my 45 degree entry and heard another static call from the piper (the airport name was reversed -- instead of central jersey traffic, the pilot stated jersey central regional traffic). At this time I thought about asking the piper for a position report, but for some reason I didn't. I began a gentle descending right turn onto left downwind at around 1300 ft MSL and 85 KIAS and suddenly noticed the piper pass to the left and below me by about 100 ft and 200 ft respectively. I immediately leveled, pulled the throttle to idle, and extended full flaps to slow down. Then, once the piper was ahead of me, I descended to 1100 ft MSL and oriented myself as #2 on the downwind (announced). There were obviously several mistakes I made. I should have descended to 1100 ft MSL (pattern altitude) before turning onto the 45 degree for the downwind. I should have asked for a position report from the piper. And I should have been more attentive and seen the other aircraft (most likely would have if I were at the right altitude). I will most definitely descend to pattern altitude before doing anything pattern related, ask verification if I don't understand a radio call, and will be much more attentive in the future. Also, in hindsight, the piper should have clearly seen me, as I was 200 ft above him and to the right and announced all my intentions when he was on the downwind.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A C172 AND A PA28 ON THE ENTRY LEG FOR RWY 25 AT 47N, NJ.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE TO 47N FROM THE NW (ANNOUNCED 5 MI OUT). OVERFLEW TO THE FIELD AT 2000 FT MSL (ANNOUNCED) AND BEGAN A DSCNT TO PATTERN ALT. ABOUT 3 NM PAST THE FIELD, I MADE A 230 DEG TURN TO THE R FOR THE 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE L DOWNWIND AT MIDFIELD OF RWY 25 (ANNOUNCED) AND HEARD A STATIC RADIO CALL FROM A PIPER (MOSTLY ILLEGIBLE). I CONTINUED ON MY 45 DEG ENTRY AND HEARD ANOTHER STATIC CALL FROM THE PIPER (THE ARPT NAME WAS REVERSED -- INSTEAD OF CENTRAL JERSEY TFC, THE PLT STATED JERSEY CENTRAL REGIONAL TFC). AT THIS TIME I THOUGHT ABOUT ASKING THE PIPER FOR A POS RPT, BUT FOR SOME REASON I DIDN'T. I BEGAN A GENTLE DSNDING R TURN ONTO L DOWNWIND AT AROUND 1300 FT MSL AND 85 KIAS AND SUDDENLY NOTICED THE PIPER PASS TO THE L AND BELOW ME BY ABOUT 100 FT AND 200 FT RESPECTIVELY. I IMMEDIATELY LEVELED, PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, AND EXTENDED FULL FLAPS TO SLOW DOWN. THEN, ONCE THE PIPER WAS AHEAD OF ME, I DSNDED TO 1100 FT MSL AND ORIENTED MYSELF AS #2 ON THE DOWNWIND (ANNOUNCED). THERE WERE OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL MISTAKES I MADE. I SHOULD HAVE DSNDED TO 1100 FT MSL (PATTERN ALT) BEFORE TURNING ONTO THE 45 DEG FOR THE DOWNWIND. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A POS RPT FROM THE PIPER. AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ATTENTIVE AND SEEN THE OTHER ACFT (MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE IF I WERE AT THE RIGHT ALT). I WILL MOST DEFINITELY DSND TO PATTERN ALT BEFORE DOING ANYTHING PATTERN RELATED, ASK VERIFICATION IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND A RADIO CALL, AND WILL BE MUCH MORE ATTENTIVE IN THE FUTURE. ALSO, IN HINDSIGHT, THE PIPER SHOULD HAVE CLRLY SEEN ME, AS I WAS 200 FT ABOVE HIM AND TO THE R AND ANNOUNCED ALL MY INTENTIONS WHEN HE WAS ON THE DOWNWIND.

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.