Two PA28 pilots experience near midair collision in traffic pattern at non-towered airport.

Attributes
ACN	785238
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 88 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	785238
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After rotation to initial climb for closed traffic at ZZZ; runway 1; heading 011 degrees; radio call on CTAF 'archer crosswind for runway 1;' no traffic in sight. Announced intentions then turned crosswind for runway 1; radio call on CTAF; 'I have cherokee in sight; I am behind you.' turned downwind slightly high (900 ft MSL; typical tpa 850 ft MSL for fixed-wing; 1000 ft MSL opposite side for rotorcraft); archer turned downwind; reported on radio to have lost visual contact with my aircraft. Immediately initiated 45 degree turn to depart the pattern; announced intentions on CTAF; radio call on CTAF from a helicopter in the pattern; 'archer is 100 ft immediately below you.' re-entered pattern from 45 degree downwind leg. Both aircraft landed without further events. Contributing factors: 1) traffic entered on extended crosswind; 2) traffic was not visible (no lights seen); 3) traffic stated they were following and then made an early downwind turn underneath leading aircraft. Preventing recurrence: 1) use standard 45 degree downwind entry; 2) use available forward-facing lights while in the pattern; 3) if an aircraft confirms that they are following another aircraft in the pattern they should actually follow instead of cutting off the leading traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO PA28 PLTS EXPERIENCE NMAC IN TRAFFIC PATTERN AT NON-TOWERED ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER ROTATION TO INITIAL CLB FOR CLOSED TFC AT ZZZ; RWY 1; HDG 011 DEGS; RADIO CALL ON CTAF 'ARCHER XWIND FOR RWY 1;' NO TFC IN SIGHT. ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS THEN TURNED XWIND FOR RWY 1; RADIO CALL ON CTAF; 'I HAVE CHEROKEE IN SIGHT; I AM BEHIND YOU.' TURNED DOWNWIND SLIGHTLY HIGH (900 FT MSL; TYPICAL TPA 850 FT MSL FOR FIXED-WING; 1000 FT MSL OPPOSITE SIDE FOR ROTORCRAFT); ARCHER TURNED DOWNWIND; RPTED ON RADIO TO HAVE LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH MY ACFT. IMMEDIATELY INITIATED 45 DEG TURN TO DEPART THE PATTERN; ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS ON CTAF; RADIO CALL ON CTAF FROM A HELI IN THE PATTERN; 'ARCHER IS 100 FT IMMEDIATELY BELOW YOU.' RE-ENTERED PATTERN FROM 45 DEG DOWNWIND LEG. BOTH ACFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER EVENTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) TFC ENTERED ON EXTENDED XWIND; 2) TFC WAS NOT VISIBLE (NO LIGHTS SEEN); 3) TFC STATED THEY WERE FOLLOWING AND THEN MADE AN EARLY DOWNWIND TURN UNDERNEATH LEADING ACFT. PREVENTING RECURRENCE: 1) USE STANDARD 45 DEG DOWNWIND ENTRY; 2) USE AVAILABLE FORWARD-FACING LIGHTS WHILE IN THE PATTERN; 3) IF AN ACFT CONFIRMS THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN THEY SHOULD ACTUALLY FOLLOW INSTEAD OF CUTTING OFF THE LEADING TFC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.