Narrative:

I overflew the field at 3800 ft MSL eastbound; announcing my position; altitude; and intention to descend east of the field and make a 45 degree downwind entry to the traffic pattern. 2 other aircraft were in the pattern doing touch-and-goes; and at least 2 others were on the CTAF communicating taxi intentions; fuel requests; etc. On reaching pattern altitude; I turned back toward the field and announced distance (3 mi) and intentions. I saw a red-and-white cessna climbing off the runway but did not see any other aircraft. On entering the downwind; I announced my position and heard another pilot transmit; 'arrow; you just passed right over us on downwind.' I immediately added power and climbed 500 ft; and only a few seconds later saw the cessna several hundred ft lower and about 1/4 mi farther out from the runway. After the cessna turned base; I made a right turn; descended to pattern altitude; and re-entered the downwind leg. I do not know whether the cessna pilot took evasive action or how close we came at the nearest point -- the figures above are guesses. I also do not know whether this was the same cessna I saw climbing out after a touch-and-go; but both aircraft were white with red markings. In retrospect; I remember hearing 'cessna xyz' announce his crosswind turn; but thought he was well behind me (this was the aircraft with which I had the near miss). I did not hear him announce his turn to downwind. The situation was caused by my failure to positively identify the position of each aircraft that I knew to be in the traffic pattern prior to entering. My own radio calls and use of landing lights in daytime may have helped the pilot of the cessna see me in time to take any needed evasive action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PILOT REPORTS NMAC WITH CESSNA AT 1500 FEET WHILE ATTEMPTING TO JOIN THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. PA28 PILOT IS ALERTED BY THE CESSNA PILOT.

Narrative: I OVERFLEW THE FIELD AT 3800 FT MSL EBOUND; ANNOUNCING MY POSITION; ALT; AND INTENTION TO DSND E OF THE FIELD AND MAKE A 45 DEG DOWNWIND ENTRY TO THE TFC PATTERN. 2 OTHER ACFT WERE IN THE PATTERN DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES; AND AT LEAST 2 OTHERS WERE ON THE CTAF COMMUNICATING TAXI INTENTIONS; FUEL REQUESTS; ETC. ON REACHING PATTERN ALT; I TURNED BACK TOWARD THE FIELD AND ANNOUNCED DISTANCE (3 MI) AND INTENTIONS. I SAW A RED-AND-WHITE CESSNA CLBING OFF THE RWY BUT DID NOT SEE ANY OTHER ACFT. ON ENTERING THE DOWNWIND; I ANNOUNCED MY POS AND HEARD ANOTHER PLT XMIT; 'ARROW; YOU JUST PASSED RIGHT OVER US ON DOWNWIND.' I IMMEDIATELY ADDED PWR AND CLBED 500 FT; AND ONLY A FEW SECONDS LATER SAW THE CESSNA SEVERAL HUNDRED FT LOWER AND ABOUT 1/4 MI FARTHER OUT FROM THE RWY. AFTER THE CESSNA TURNED BASE; I MADE A R TURN; DSNDED TO PATTERN ALT; AND RE-ENTERED THE DOWNWIND LEG. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE CESSNA PLT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION OR HOW CLOSE WE CAME AT THE NEAREST POINT -- THE FIGURES ABOVE ARE GUESSES. I ALSO DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THIS WAS THE SAME CESSNA I SAW CLBING OUT AFTER A TOUCH-AND-GO; BUT BOTH ACFT WERE WHITE WITH RED MARKINGS. IN RETROSPECT; I REMEMBER HEARING 'CESSNA XYZ' ANNOUNCE HIS XWIND TURN; BUT THOUGHT HE WAS WELL BEHIND ME (THIS WAS THE ACFT WITH WHICH I HAD THE NEAR MISS). I DID NOT HEAR HIM ANNOUNCE HIS TURN TO DOWNWIND. THE SITUATION WAS CAUSED BY MY FAILURE TO POSITIVELY IDENT THE POSITION OF EACH ACFT THAT I KNEW TO BE IN THE TFC PATTERN PRIOR TO ENTERING. MY OWN RADIO CALLS AND USE OF LNDG LIGHTS IN DAYTIME MAY HAVE HELPED THE PLT OF THE CESSNA SEE ME IN TIME TO TAKE ANY NEEDED EVASIVE ACTION.

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.