Narrative:

On flight to labelle municipal airport; I announced on 122.8 for 'labelle traffic' that I was 5 mi south and landing on runway 32 at labelle. There were 2-3 aircraft announcing themselves in the pattern; at least two appeared to being doing touch and goes. (This much traffic at labelle was not expected and I thought unusual; and I wanted to make as many announcements as possible to alert others that I was coming into the traffic area; so I made the '5 mi south' first announcement.) I announced also again at 3 mi south. 1 aircraft announced she was leaving the pattern. I thought I had heard what I believed to be the only aircraft a factor in my flight path had announced they were on base. I announced again at '2 mi west' (reading from LORAN readout) as I was preparing to enter pattern for runway 32; my heading approximately northwest at this time. About 30 seconds later saw a single engine aircraft ahead about 150 ft higher passing about 500 ft to my right (east of me) doing an apparent very wide downwind leg for which I believe that same aircraft then announced a turn to base. I then immediately announced I was 1.5 mi west (reading from LORAN readout) and was entering pattern and following aircraft on base. I made a right turn and entered the downwind for runway 32. Contributing factors were numerous aircraft in pattern at uncontrolled field; possibly training aircraft; and at least 1 aircraft making a wide pattern which I did not expect. There was a fairly strong left crosswind of possibly 10-15 KTS with gusts at an unknown speed which may have contributed as a distraction. Human performance considerations: must be more aware of all the aircraft position in the pattern and be expecting that some may be outside the normal pattern boundaries. When more than 1 aircraft in pattern; perhaps more announcements should be made of position; and/or when 'traffic in sight.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA-24 PILOT HAS NEAR MISS WITH ACFT ON DOWNWIND IN VFR TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: ON FLT TO LABELLE MUNICIPAL ARPT; I ANNOUNCED ON 122.8 FOR 'LABELLE TFC' THAT I WAS 5 MI S AND LNDG ON RWY 32 AT LABELLE. THERE WERE 2-3 ACFT ANNOUNCING THEMSELVES IN THE PATTERN; AT LEAST TWO APPEARED TO BEING DOING TOUCH AND GOES. (THIS MUCH TFC AT LABELLE WAS NOT EXPECTED AND I THOUGHT UNUSUAL; AND I WANTED TO MAKE AS MANY ANNOUNCEMENTS AS POSSIBLE TO ALERT OTHERS THAT I WAS COMING INTO THE TFC AREA; SO I MADE THE '5 MI S' FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT.) I ANNOUNCED ALSO AGAIN AT 3 MI S. 1 ACFT ANNOUNCED SHE WAS LEAVING THE PATTERN. I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE THE ONLY ACFT A FACTOR IN MY FLT PATH HAD ANNOUNCED THEY WERE ON BASE. I ANNOUNCED AGAIN AT '2 MI W' (READING FROM LORAN READOUT) AS I WAS PREPARING TO ENTER PATTERN FOR RWY 32; MY HDG APPROX NW AT THIS TIME. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER SAW A SINGLE ENG ACFT AHEAD ABOUT 150 FT HIGHER PASSING ABOUT 500 FT TO MY R (E OF ME) DOING AN APPARENT VERY WIDE DOWNWIND LEG FOR WHICH I BELIEVE THAT SAME ACFT THEN ANNOUNCED A TURN TO BASE. I THEN IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED I WAS 1.5 MI W (READING FROM LORAN READOUT) AND WAS ENTERING PATTERN AND FOLLOWING ACFT ON BASE. I MADE A R TURN AND ENTERED THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE NUMEROUS ACFT IN PATTERN AT UNCTLED FIELD; POSSIBLY TRAINING ACFT; AND AT LEAST 1 ACFT MAKING A WIDE PATTERN WHICH I DID NOT EXPECT. THERE WAS A FAIRLY STRONG L XWIND OF POSSIBLY 10-15 KTS WITH GUSTS AT AN UNKNOWN SPD WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED AS A DISTR. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: MUST BE MORE AWARE OF ALL THE ACFT POS IN THE PATTERN AND BE EXPECTING THAT SOME MAY BE OUTSIDE THE NORMAL PATTERN BOUNDARIES. WHEN MORE THAN 1 ACFT IN PATTERN; PERHAPS MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE OF POS; AND/OR WHEN 'TFC IN SIGHT.'

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.