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 flight in the pattern. On what ended up being our last lap, Aircraft X was entering the pattern after flying north from the power plant. He was supposed to turn left into the downwind for XXR but turned right into the downwind for XYL. This positioned our aircraft into a head-on position.
I immediately took controls and turned left and departed the pattern as tower had instructed to do at the same time.
The traffic was about 100-200 feet below us opposite direction as we began the turn to avoid conflict. Tower advised us to fly south and we flew a further base leg for a full stop.
Cause: Aircraft X turned the wrong way into the pattern creating conflict.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2121194
CFIs should be able to read the situation and possible conflict ahead, and maybe either advise the student or take control to avoid the conflict.
Not sure why CFI’s always seen to grab the controls in what are not usually critical maneuvers. Students might need to do it themselves later.
Disagree. This news service has printed dozens of incidents in which the CFI either grabbed the controls too late or not at all resulting in crashes and deaths. The purpose of the CFI is to demonstrate good practices, not let the student pilot hit the cemetery by learning things ‘the hard way.’
Regards/J
Bulls—t. CFIs (no apostrophe) often “grab”the controls too late or not at all. They “snatched the stick” too late. They “get on the controls” too late. They “assume control of the aircraft” too late. Whichever way a person wants to state it, if they don’t stop the dangerous maneuver the CFI is at fault.