Narrative:

I was approaching mgj (orange county airport in montgomery; ny) from the south for landing. I was monitoring the unicom frequency and was aware of a cessna (birddog) in the pattern (which; for that airport is a standard l-hand pattern) approximately 3 mi from the airport (which is uncontrolled). I announced that I was landing. Another cessna (C172 or C182) reported that he was on a right downwind (nonstandard). Because of this; I decided to do an upwind entry at pattern altitude with a left turn to downwind. I announced my intentions on the unicom and described in detail on the radio what I was about to perform. Approximately 1 mi from the runway threshold; I again called unicom; informed both aircraft in the pattern that I had the traffic in sight. The cessna in a right pattern was descending in a right base. I maintained visual contact as I proceeded upwind. The cessna came within approximately 300 ft; both vertically and horizontally from my aircraft as he turned from base to final. At no time did he or I have to alter course. The cessna pilot announced on the unicom that he felt I acted in a reckless manner; which I did not. After I landed; I was approached by the pilot of the birddog (the aircraft on left downwind); who approached me waving a badge; saying that he was from 'homeland security.' he said that if the cessna pilot wanted to 'press charges;' that he would 'appear in court.' I tried to explain to him that because of parallax and his relative position (over 1/4 mi); his perception of what occurred wasn't what happened in reality. I maintain that I acted in a prudent manner; that no FARS were broken; and that at no time were any of the involved aircraft in jeopardy. In retrospect; however; I could have abandoned my approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIAI MARCHETTI AND CESSNA HAVE NMAC IN UNCTLED TFC PATTERN AT MGJ.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING MGJ (ORANGE COUNTY ARPT IN MONTGOMERY; NY) FROM THE S FOR LNDG. I WAS MONITORING THE UNICOM FREQ AND WAS AWARE OF A CESSNA (BIRDDOG) IN THE PATTERN (WHICH; FOR THAT ARPT IS A STANDARD L-HAND PATTERN) APPROX 3 MI FROM THE ARPT (WHICH IS UNCTLED). I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS LNDG. ANOTHER CESSNA (C172 OR C182) RPTED THAT HE WAS ON A R DOWNWIND (NONSTANDARD). BECAUSE OF THIS; I DECIDED TO DO AN UPWIND ENTRY AT PATTERN ALT WITH A L TURN TO DOWNWIND. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS ON THE UNICOM AND DESCRIBED IN DETAIL ON THE RADIO WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO PERFORM. APPROX 1 MI FROM THE RWY THRESHOLD; I AGAIN CALLED UNICOM; INFORMED BOTH ACFT IN THE PATTERN THAT I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. THE CESSNA IN A R PATTERN WAS DSNDING IN A R BASE. I MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT AS I PROCEEDED UPWIND. THE CESSNA CAME WITHIN APPROX 300 FT; BOTH VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY FROM MY ACFT AS HE TURNED FROM BASE TO FINAL. AT NO TIME DID HE OR I HAVE TO ALTER COURSE. THE CESSNA PLT ANNOUNCED ON THE UNICOM THAT HE FELT I ACTED IN A RECKLESS MANNER; WHICH I DID NOT. AFTER I LANDED; I WAS APCHED BY THE PLT OF THE BIRDDOG (THE ACFT ON L DOWNWIND); WHO APCHED ME WAVING A BADGE; SAYING THAT HE WAS FROM 'HOMELAND SECURITY.' HE SAID THAT IF THE CESSNA PLT WANTED TO 'PRESS CHARGES;' THAT HE WOULD 'APPEAR IN COURT.' I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT BECAUSE OF PARALLAX AND HIS RELATIVE POS (OVER 1/4 MI); HIS PERCEPTION OF WHAT OCCURRED WASN'T WHAT HAPPENED IN REALITY. I MAINTAIN THAT I ACTED IN A PRUDENT MANNER; THAT NO FARS WERE BROKEN; AND THAT AT NO TIME WERE ANY OF THE INVOLVED ACFT IN JEOPARDY. IN RETROSPECT; HOWEVER; I COULD HAVE ABANDONED MY APCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.