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.
There were no planes around when I went to practice my ground handling in the homebuilt biplane. My plan was to taxi around the airport, and do two or three fast taxi runs down Runway 18, exit at E taxiway to return on parallel taxiway for another run.
Announced on CTAF that I was crossing approach end of 23 each time. Announced clear of 18/36 each time. Announced entering runway and fast taxi each time. I said, “Staying on the ground.”
On the last run down Runway 18, because it had been so unusually quiet on the CTAF, I called “radio check” before entering Runway 18. I heard a reply that my radio was “loud and clear.” I proceeded to fast taxi down 18 and, after each slow down, I did an S-turn to clear the runway for the next fast taxi.
On my third and final fast taxi of this trip down Runway 18, when I S-turned just before applying pull power, I glimpsed strobe lights about 150 yards in front of me. I moved immediately to the right side of the runway and stopped. A low-wing, twin engine aircraft had landed on Runway 36, with the wind, made no calls that I heard for downwind, base, or final, and used hard braking to stop before we collided!
When I spoke to the pilot on the ground while he was refueling, he insisted I had done something wrong and dangerous. I asked if he wanted to talk about it to see if there was anything to be learned. He was hostile, angry, and said “no” several times, finished refueling and left via 36, again with a tailwind.
Regardless if I had heard him on the radio or not, there is no requirement to have a radio to operate at this airport in this airspace. One has to see and avoid and be aware that there may be NORDO aircraft around.
I cannot explain how another pilot could have landed on this runway, with the wind, and when I was clearly ON THE RUNWAY during his final approach, if not for most of the other segments of his landing.
It seemed like he thought because he “announced” his landing, he had the right to land, even though another aircraft was on the runway? He may have come straight at the runway instead of flying a pattern? Maybe he was really low on fuel? Maybe his head was down looking at the RNAV crosshairs during the approach?
I just don’t know how he missed my aircraft taxiing down the runway on a perfectly clear day!
Why did the other pilot land on a runway when there was another vehicle or aircraft on the runway? How did he not see me on the ground on the runway when he was on final approach, as I was fully two thirds of the runway towards his approach end of Runway 18 when I saw finally him on the runway. I’d not seen him on final nor heard any radio call when I was doing my first or second of the three fast taxi segments on this run down Runway 18.
For my part: I will continue to make incremental radio calls while practicing on the ground. Announcing all crossings of runways, entering a runway for a fast taxi trip to the other end, exiting the runway, etc. Not only will I do S-turns between starts and stops, with my eye down the runway for alignment, but I will also look up skyward in case there is someone landing in the opposite direction.
I do wish I could have heard the other pilot’s side of the story, but in the moment, he was very angry. I did debrief with others who were listening to the CTAF during the incident. They confirmed that they heard my calls, and they did not hear any calls from the light aircraft until the last call when he was on short final — and that someone had “stepped on it” with another radio call. The CTAF is used by many nearby fields.
The question still remains, if he was looking out of the cockpit and at the runway, how did he miss seeing me AND why did he continue to land with another airplane on the runway heading towards him?
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 1925957
I’m a student pilot. My instructor is a former fighter pilot as well as a retired airline pilot. We fly our Cessna 172 in the pattern at an occasionally busy regional airport with a lot of private jet traffic. On a number of occasions, we have been on downwind or base leg and making our calls all the way around, when a private jet will radio he’s coming in to land, sometimes from a right handed base(incorrect) or from an extended final(exceeding 4 miles) . Either situation usually portends a request by the jet for us to extend our pattern. My instructor declines the request and reminds the jet pilots of a rule in CFR(I cannot remember exactly) about planes in the pattern and right of way. It’s funny to watch these hot shot private jet pilots get denied at a small airport but that is the rule and my instructor takes great pride in teaching it to anyone within radio range. He’s not shy about being right. That said, after reading this above scenario, being on the runway(regardless of how or why you are there) puts you in the pattern and gives you the right to be there in a safe manner. The guy in the twin was unsafe and discurteous to say the least. He likely did not abide by the pattern rule my instructor quotes all the time as well. Logically, if we as pilots can’t be safe in the pattern or on the ground, then what is the sense in flying? The guy in the twin could have been written up with a complaint and he’s lucky he was not.
Respectfully; you need to review 14 CFR 91.113 Right of Way Rules–Except Water Operations,
(g) Landings.
Si no hay torre en el aeropuerto , anuncio mi situación e intención por la frecuencia del lugar , si nadie responde miro bien que todo esté despejado sin fiarme de la dirección del viento.
Si el caso es un despegue , nadie responde en la radio y veo todo despejado , procedo al “take off” .
Si voy en tránsito con intención de aterrizar , lo mismo con la radio , si nadie responde y despues de un par de tránsitos veo todo despejado , procedo en aproximacion de aterrizaje y trato de tocar pista al principio del primer tercio, por si tengo algún problema tener lugar de sobra para una ” ida al aire”. Y si estoy en tránsito de aterrizaje y veo alguno que se acerca a la pista sin aviso y tampoco se da por aludido de que estoy en tránsito , sigo en patrón de espera hasta ver que hace el otro , si despega o va a hangares.
” Más vale perder un minuto en la vida que no la vida en un minuto ” , esa es mi filosofía donde quiera que esté , en un aeródromo , volando , en una autopista o calle en la ciudad.
So many things that are “legal” that are dumb to do.
Doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong.
I’m sure this kind of thing will happen to you again somewhere.
Be vigilant, expect the unexpected.
Hmmmm…
How big was the homebuilt? Were all the lights “On”? Runway 18-36 at KEFK is 5300′ long.
My guess is the twin driver was focused on “aimpoint and airspeed”, and just flat out didn’t see the homebuilt. The only “rule” he maybe violated was failure to “See and Avoid”…. just like the homebuilt driver.
Just as a radio isn’t required in Class G airspace…landing with a “5-8 knot tailwind” isn’t breaking any rules either. 14 CFR 91.113 Right of Way Rules–Except Water Operations, is pretty unequivocal:
“(g) Landing. Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already landed and is attempting to make way for an aircraft on final approach.”
Nothing points to the twin trying to “force” the homebuilt off the runway. Since the homebuilt hadn’t “already landed” and wasn’t “attempting to make way for an aircraft on final approach”… technically… I’m thinking the judge’s verdict would be a “runway incursion” for the homebuilt.
At least this didn’t result in “Film at 11″…
A long time ago my first CFI said that when we were on the runway, we “Owned It”. In other words, no one else can be on it. It’s customary, unless otherwise stated, that you make a left-hand pattern before landing into the wind. Also, “see” comes before “avoid” in “See and Avoid”.
I am going to bet that you were at a towered airport when the instructor told you that. The concept of “owning” the runway only applies when the tower has cleared you to use it.
My experience is that more people talk on the radio than listen. And it’s hard to see a plane on the runway. My airport has a mile long runway and a plane at the other end looks to be the size of the die cast planes my grandson has. Two miles away it’s half that. It would be easier for the plane on the ground to see the plane on approach. There was a guy at my airport (uncontrolled) who never talked on the radio. When I asked him about that, he said he didn’t have to talk and he knew where I was. He was a nice guy, a good stick, but bad attitude about some things.
Landing airplane still has the right of way over those on the ground…
Unless A/C On the ground is occupying the very runway that landing A/C is attempting to land on ? Not what I remember the book teaching as well as my cfi.
Chances are the other pilot was local. The problem with a lot of uncontrolled airfields is that they tend to be individualized. He maybe saw you on the runway and just wanted to give a “scare.”
You were absolutely in the right.
Perhaps you were “tuned out” because of all your chatter. Seems these conflict issues invariably involve at least one aircraft staying/lingering in the airport environment….just saying.