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.
In coordination with my flight instructor I was on a solo cross country to White County Airport (KMCX) in Monticello, Indiana.
While departing from KMCX on upwind, another aircraft (soon to be a conflict aircraft) entered the pattern at a non-standard entry or location. Their location was unclear.
At this time, there was myself, a second aircraft, and the conflict aircraft. The location of the conflict aircraft was unclear. They were either on a widened downwind or extended upwind or extended downwind.
To further complicate the issue, the CTAF being used is on the same frequency as several other airports, and the radio congestion was heavy between the different airports and aircraft.
I was safely maneuvering my aircraft in the appropriate standard pattern operation and diligently looking for the conflict aircraft that was in the unclear location. The conflict aircraft appeared to have me in sight, however they did not adjust their flight path to stay clear of myself.
Suddenly, the conflict aircraft came very close to my aircraft. I maneuvered my aircraft to avoid. Inadvertently we came within a couple of hundred feet of each other. After this I returned to the home airport.
I believe that this situation would not have happened if the other aircraft, which was entering in the non-standard location, should have appropriately exercised the requirement to see and avoid. If they could not maintain a safe distance, then they should not have entered the pattern.
If CTAF frequencies were specific to an individual airport and not commonly used by adjacent airports, then this would’ve greatly enhanced situational awareness.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2147027
I fly out of an uncontrolled rural airport in 4 corners Colorado. I share it with the Eagles mountains and heavies. My three resources for avoiding traffic are my eyes, my radio and ADSB on my iPad.communicate,coordinate and get out of the pattern and stay out of their way.They know you’re there and appreciate it.
Wonder if traffic incidents would increase if some cars were to keep circling down the street then back through a mall parking lot, then back into the street, using all four lanes, then back through the parking lot…? And not particularly good drivers at that?
Seems as if many pilots, including some commenting here, need to review the right of way rules. 91.113 has lots of ambiguities, but that’s where the discussion has to start.
These type of close calls are all too common…. We too have way too many nearby radio calls on 122.8. Also just yesterday ATC called our airport M41 calling it Marshall County but its first and logical name is Holly Springs… I hope clearer communication, clearer frequencies and common naming conventions are in our very near future.
Regulations be damned. It doesn’t matter what the regulation says when they shovel the dirt on your coffin or you have an accident. You do what you gotta do to stay safe you follow the rules as best you can, and sometimes there are situations people or other aircraft that will force you to deviate from standard procedure. You call them they don’t answer. Their pattern is not clear. Their intentions are not clear, etc. etc. so you keep yourself safe you get out of the area a little bit and wait or you circle until you know for sure, you bet your life on it, that your path to the ground is OK.
I live in California in the north. I’ve flown to the northern corner of Maine. I landed at Kennedy just to mix it up properly with the big boys doesn’t matter what the rules are. You’re trying to abide by them, but everybody doesn’t think like you so it’s eyes out a clear head And you do what you Gotta do to be safe. My two cents, david
I have been Flight for over 50 years. I always take issue with the thought that aircraft “established in the pattern “have the right of way over aircraft entering the pattern.
In a standard left-hand traffic pattern and aircraft on the 45 will be converging from the right of an airplane on downwind. There is no regulation that says the airplane on downwind has the right of way, in fact the regulation DOES SAY that an airplane converging from the right has the right of way. Thus the airplane entering the pattern has the right of way over the existing traffic, and the existing traffic should adjust its speed to allow that airplane to enter safely.
I think you are mistaken…..Yes the rules of the road says that the aircraft in a crossing situation to the right has the right of way but not when entering the pattern. Also aircraft in the pattern has the right of way over an aircraft approaching on a straight in approach. The aircraft entering on a 45 degree is not in the pattern and does not have the right of way…..When you are entering the freeway and are merging with traffic….do you think that you have the right away over existing traffic???
In so many situations near a non-towered airport, you need to talk to the other pilot. Just making a position report and hearing a position report is not always going to resolve a potential conflict. Talking to the other pilot can clarify the other’s position and intentions, and can help the other pilot identify your position and intentions by using traffic pattern positions, altitude and a vertical separation plan, clock direction of each aircraft to the other, establishing sequence, etc.
I agree 100%! If I do not see someone even though they report seeing me, I ask for there position relative to me after repeating where I am located. The worst thing you can do is be looking the wrong direction and not using all your resources to find the other aircraft.
Part of the confusion may be pilots referring to the Departure Leg as the Upwind Leg, they are NOT the same location in the pattern (AIM 4-3-2 c.).
Warren, I think there is some hesitation around addressing other pilots in the pattern, knowing you’re on a frequency that isn’t specifically air-to-air. We tend to hope that making a good position report will do the trick if everyone is following the rules.