Routine training flight is anything but

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 a routine training flight with my student in a Cessna 172. The lesson for the day called for short/soft field takeoff/landing practice, and we opted to fly south to nearby ZZZ from our home airport ZZZ1 to practice.

After a few uneventful laps in the pattern using Runway XX with one other aircraft in the pattern with us (wind favoring XX as well as YR/ZZL being closed at the time) a Piper Cherokee joined the pattern to make three total in the pattern (including myself).

The Cherokee, which appears to be from a local flight club at the airport, taxied to Runway XX shortly after we landed on our third lap. As we pulled off, the Cherokee took off from XX uneventfully and we began our taxi back to Runway XX.

As we taxied, ADS-B data showed the Cherokee turning right and joining a pattern for YR, the closed runway.

Shortly before we reached XX, I asked the Cherokee their position, to which they did not answer. Shortly after, they reported right base for Runway XX.

Holding short of XX and ready to go after clearing the area of traffic, my student commenced the takeoff, believing we had more than enough time with the aircraft just beginning a right base. ADS-B showed they were still around the YR upwind pattern area, and I believed the data to be wrong as it sometimes glitches, and the runway was closed with big Xs on both ends, as well as the pilot reported a right base for the runway in use, XX.

Shortly after full power was applied, to my horror, I look up and see the Cherokee on short final for Runway AA, the opposite runway.

I immediately aborted the takeoff, and urgently called for the wrong way traffic to go around. I had nowhere to exit the runway due to my position between the taxiways, but was ready to pull the airplane off the side of the runway to avoid the collision.

Thankfully the traffic went around, and shortly after said “My Bad,” and we exited the runway.

The other aircraft in the pattern with us was also astonished by the actions of the Cherokee. I would estimate the near miss to be around 300-400 feet.

After almost causing a collision, the Cherokee pilot began erratic flight just north of the airport at a low altitude, so much so other aircraft asked if they were OK. They also announced they were joining the pattern again following the incident, but would fly away back north of the airport.

The pilot operated the aircraft in an extremely unsafe manner and almost caused a wrong way collision.

As an instructor, the incident was a good “double check” learning experience. Even though the pilot reported one thing, other data had a discrepancy on the report.

Primary Problem: Airport

ACN: 1959318