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.
I was conducting flight training in the pattern at Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO) in Virginia. The pattern was extremely busy.
The Tower instructed us to make left traffic for Runway 17 and upon reaching the downwind asked us to make a right 360 to rejoin the left downwind for spacing. Approximately halfway through the right turn, the pilot of Aircraft Y was instructed to go around. The pilot asked if he was to make left or right traffic and his call went unanswered. The Tower instructed Aircraft Y to make left traffic and to delay their crosswind turn, however the pilot immediately turned, accelerated to a fast speed, and climbed into the left downwind for Runway 17, which placed him into direct conflict with me as we were completing the 360 turn to rejoin the left downwind.
I made visual contact with Aircraft Y and determined that a collision was imminent. I took the controls from my student and took evasive action. It appeared that the pilot of Aircraft Y did not have visual contact with my aircraft until I took evasive action.
I informed the Tower that a near mid-air collision occurred and I requested to speak with them following the flight.
I called the Tower by phone after the flight and spoke with the controller who was on duty at the time. He stated that:
- The incident was his fault — he lost situational awareness of the turn we were instructed to make.
- I did nothing wrong nor contributed to the incident in any way.
- He also said there is a blind spot on the east side of the airport that prevents them from seeing traffic in that spot.
The Tower is a “remote tower” where the controllers view traffic through video screens via a camera at the airport. He said that the Tower facility is due to receive a radar feed “in a few weeks” and this will help.
The pilot of Aircraft Y contributed to the incident by failing to see and avoid and flying at a speed well above “normal” for a traffic pattern.
This is the second near mid-air collision I’ve experienced at this facility within the last three weeks. In the other incident, the controller also admitted 100% fault due to a loss of situational awareness on the east side of the airport.
I’ve been flying at this airport for years and we are as busy as we have ever been, with five flight schools on the field.
I believe that we are headed for a serious safety problem if the following items are not addressed:
- KJYO Tower must receive a radar display immediately. Lacking this data is contributing to a serious safety issues
- KJYO Tower’s “blind” spot on the east side of the field must be investigated and corrected. If the remote Tower cannot see an area of the traffic pattern, the remote Tower should not have been certified
- KJYO Tower is often staffed with only one controller. Often times pilots must wait to read back instructions because the Tower Controller is reading an IFR clearance because he is also working the ground position. This is a serious safety issue. The Tower must be staffed with three controllers, without exception, at all times.
Primary Problem: ATC Equipment
ACN: 1857160
I FINALLY thought of constructive comment/idea. If a controller tells me to “do a 360 for spacing,” I should, of course, do a 360-degree turn.
IT IS STILL MY RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAR LIKE A BIG DOG. I cannot–CANNOT–say to myself, “Well, now the tower is responsible, so I’ll just do a 360.” Nope, I have to maybe do a little bigger 360 than a tight one, occasionally lowering the wing to clear. I can’t see through the wing, so if I just do a 360 all the way back onto the downwind, I’ll be entering the downwind in a wing-high banked turn, so visibility out one side (left or right, depending on high-wing or low-wing aircraft.)
So a full 360 right back onto downwind? Guess what, I’d just be HOPING there’s nothing in my blind spot.
It’s see-and-avoid for you, too, dude. It takes two to tango. You almost flew into the other airplane, and all this “I did nothing wrong” stuff may be true LEGALLY or something, but dude, you’d still be dead.
I say do a big 360, level those wings, fly basically a 45-to-downwind entry JUST LIKE YOU WOULD AT WINCHESTER WHERE THERE’S NO “HELPFUL” TOWER GUY TO KILL YOU.
Anyway, I finally thought of this after thinking about this incident over and over.
If for some reason you want to continue doing a 360 and hope the air is clear where you can’t see, more power to you. I’m gonna try my “new” idea.
I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it.
Remote towers at “controlled airports”??
Plese give us a break once for all!
We have three very busy flight schools at my home drome, including two national brands. We have Class D airspace, a part-time tower, and a single runway. Besides the tenant schools, and ‘regular’ local folks, it has become an increasingly popular destination for others to come to for instrument approaches & VFR pattern work. The traffic pattern activity can go from Idyllic-to-Battle of Britain, in a very short period. As good a job as our (often single) controllers do in keeping things sorted, it can still turn into a chocolate mess.
Compounding their challenge is that the three schools do not deconflict their flying schedules: They often start, taxi, takeoff (or try to), depart, “train”, and then RTB to beat up the pattern, all at the same time.
Even though they must be teaching their students to the same FAA Airman Certification Standards, based on the traffic pattern “geometry”, there are a lot of variations on the theme. The controllers can get pretty creative in their attempts to accommodate everyone; but as a guy that is just tryin’ to go with the flow, it is very easy to lose track of all the players.
Similar incident at FNL. Cleared for take off, the plane on final had to do a 360.
I hope this pilot reported the same to the FAA hotline. All hotline reports are investigated.
Two possibilities;
Better ATC control…or,
No ATC and better pilot discipline…..not likely..lol
Sounds like there is no Joy at JYO.