This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
Accidental cutoff of aircraft in traffic pattern. I had recently gone flying as I hadn’t been up much lately, and maintained closed traffic at the airport to re-familiarize myself with the aircraft and work on my landings. Since this airport is the main airport for a flight school, multiple aircraft were joining and leaving the pattern, necessitating Tower to have aircraft extend on departure and downwind legs of the pattern.
As I was in a left downwind for Runway XX, Tower instructed all aircraft remaining in the pattern to extend upwind 3 miles after takeoff, and I made note of this as I was planning to do a couple more loops in the pattern. About 30 seconds later, Tower asked if I had the traffic (a PA28) on short final for Runway XX in sight. I did, and Tower cleared me for the option. I performed a touch and go and began climbing on the departure leg. As I was finishing the climb and extending the departure leg, I noted a call from Tower to the PA28 asking for their position, with the PA28 reporting they were in the crosswind leg. Tower then called me to tell me to extend upwind 3 miles and do right traffic for Runway XX.
I estimated as having already done about 1.5 miles due to Tower’s notification about doing so earlier, and the delay from Tower informing me again was due to the influx of traffic into the airspace. I continued on for about another minute and then began my right crosswind turn. While on the crosswind leg, Tower called the PA28 to inform them that they would be number 4 in the pattern and following traffic on the left downwind. The PA28 reported that they had been cut off on crosswind and would follow the traffic in front of them. Tower called and asked for my position, which I reported as right crosswind, and Tower asked the PA28 if they observed a Skyhawk in front of them. The PA28 responded with an affirmative and Tower informed them to follow me.
Several seconds later, I turned onto the downwind leg and was able to observe the PA28 about 3/4ths of a mile behind me and finishing a turn from crosswind onto downwind. Nothing else of note happened after and I chose to make this my last loop in the traffic pattern, and performed a full stop landing a few minutes later.
At the time, I knew that I had missed whether or not the PA28 would be right or left traffic. I had heard their report to Tower of being on crosswind as I started my departure leg and felt that they would not be any conflict no matter which pattern they were in. While I do recognize that it is the pilot’s responsibility to maintain separation in the Class Delta and that Tower’s workload had increased with the amount of aircraft in the airspace, I did not receive any calls notifying me of traffic (earlier in the flight Tower had informed me of traffic ahead of me on upwind and I did not turn crosswind until I was able to verify that they had finished their crosswind turn and passed me on downwind).
Since I had cut off the PA28, I figured the only possibility was that I had turned into my crosswind turn too early. However, I was confused about this as the PA28 had reported being on crosswind at least a full minute before I had even started my crosswind turn, and I could not figure out as to how they would then end up behind me.
I did end up pulling both my flight data and the PA28’s flight data from FlightAware.com and the ATC audio from LiveATC.com to try and piece together what happened, and it seems several factors played a role in this.
For starters, I had missed the call to the PA28 informing them that they would be right traffic. This was something I knew I had missed during the flight, and listening to the audio showed that they were told this after I had been cleared to land initially on Runway XX, meaning that I was likely focused on my touch and go instead of calls to other aircraft. I recognize that I need to work on still listening fully to Tower on this phase of flight if I will be rejoining the pattern, as it is important to have a mental picture of where other aircraft are within the airspace.
I also likely did start my crosswind turn early, as the data from FlightAware seems to pinpoint my turn as having started no further than 2.5 miles upwind. This is likely due to me misjudging my timing and distance in the aircraft after takeoff and is something I will need to also work on.
With those in mind, the data from the PA28 also shows that it played a major factor in this event. After takeoff, the PA28 extended about 4.5 miles upwind while also drifting left of the runway. As such, their position report to Tower of being in the crosswind was likely when they just started their turn and the amount of time spent in the crosswind would be lengthened due to their drift left. The longer upwind extension would also explain how they ended up behind me once I turned onto the downwind leg.
I am unsure if Tower recognized that the PA28 had drifted left and extended so far out, but I am assuming that they did not as no call was made informing me of their position or the potential for conflict.
Overall, my own misjudgments of my timing and distance, mistake in missing calls for other aircraft to have an idea of what is going on big picture (as I would have been able to recognize that I would essentially be following an aircraft in the right traffic pattern), and the PA28’s over extension and drift on the departure leg contributed to this event.
Primary Problem: Environment
ACN: 1792293
It would have also helped to ask the tower for help in spotting the PA28. His relative position to you. Seeing the other planes in the pattern really important, see and avoid. At least in a pilot controlled airport situation you can ask the PA28 pilot for his position in the pattern or major landmark.
As a low time pilot in class D airspace, training and flying in non towered environments, this sounds like a non towered event. The use of “upwind” for the departure leg is confusing to me. I was taught that this is the “departure “ leg. “Downwind” “ Base” “Final”.
“Departure” “ Crosswind”. Entering “upwind or entering “downwind” should not be confused with “departure” leg.
When in the towered environment we tend to depend on the tower to keep us separated. I have had my downwind extended six miles waiting for the tower to “call” my base. Busy as can be. Also under Class B airspace. No such thing as a standard pattern.
If I can’t rely on the tower to do a better job than the above, why are they there? Maybe more training for them.
At least in a non towered environment we know that we depend on each other for separation and are free to talk to each other to achieve this.
Tell me where I am wrong so the next time I fly to “D” airspace I will be better trained.
Mac – I agree with your assessment on communication from the tower. It appears the tower lost track of the PA28 and that instructions to the Skyhawk to make right traffic should have included something like ‘follow the PA28’. In that particular very busy environment where a controller is directing traffic to both left and right patterns at his discretion, it seems that extra bit of information was needed at the least.
As far as the different segments of the pattern, you were taught the correct terminology, specifically that the departure leg is the leg which begins after takeoff and continues straight ahead along the extended runway centerline (AIM para 4-3-2). HOWEVER, the tower is going to use the terminology in the Pilot/Controller Glossary (in the AIM appendices). Under TRAFFIC PATTERN, it’s only Upwind, Crosswind, Downwind, Base, and Final. Departure is not included. So for the Departure leg, the controller will say Upwind. If I happen to make a position report in a non-tower pattern that I’m on the departure leg, I listen very carefully to the other pilot’s response, because there are actually many pilots who have heard nothing but the term Upwind for that leg, and I have had them ask me ‘where did you say you were’. So then I add more information as to position from the airport, altitude, or maybe just say Upwind myself.
It would be helpful to know if this Control Tower had RADAR. Nor is there mention of ADS-B traffic in the cockpit. Not that it changes much, a seeing the traffic is essential.
If all is as described, the PA=28 was flying a B-52 pattern and took himself out of the pattern. I wonder if tower admonished the writer here in the skyhawk for “cutting off” the PA-28. I doubt it. One misjudged the 3 mile distance short and the other long. It happens. Look for traffic. If the guy took himself out of the pattern, you were in the right place and he wasn’t.
Having flown B-52s, I disagree with your flight profile assessment. When I flew VFR patterns, I was 1500 AGL and no more than 1.5 miles away from the runway. My patterns were tighter to the runway than many GA pilots I see flying at most airports. They are so far away, if their engine failed, they might not even make it to the runway environment. And why is that? I find it is because a number of CFIs teach you have to fly for a period on base, wings level descent, prior to turning to final. We must remember Part 91.119(a) and that paragraph would suggest to fly closer to the runway for your patterns.
It sounds like this pilot arranged his flight path entirely based on tower instructions and his assumption of where the PA28 would be. What ever happened to see and be seen? A visual sighting of the traffic would have prevented this.
Agreed. I remember a fatal mid-air at a towered FL airfield used by two flight schools , at the base to final turn , many years ago.
One aircraft was told ‘ continue downwind ‘, the other ‘ extend your downwind ‘ .
Somewhat confusing at best, never mind any ESL problems .Anyway, the directions were misinterpreted by both pilots . See and be seen or ‘ trust but verify’ is essential in these situations .