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.
We were established on the left downwind for Runway 29 at Vance Brand Airport (KLMO) in Longmont, Colorado. There were at least six other aircraft established in the traffic pattern.
Another aircraft (Aircraft Y) reported over CTAF that he planned to overfly midfield and enter the traffic pattern in the downwind.
Another aircraft in the pattern advised Aircraft Y that there were already three other aircraft established in the downwind and advised against their plan to overfly midfield to join the downwind.
Aircraft Y proceeded to overfly the field at the traffic pattern altitude of 6,100 feet MSL and join the downwind directly parallel to our current position in the downwind with less than 300 feet of horizontal separation. We decided to take a right turn to the south and leave the downwind to avoid Aircraft Y.
If we had continued downwind as normal, Aircraft Y would have hit us.
After we left the downwind, the aircraft reported over CTAF that they were established on the downwind for 29 without ever acknowledging the near miss or us needing to deviate to avoid him.
We then left KLMO rather than attempting to get re-established in the traffic pattern and headed back to our base airport.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2143422
My only near miss came when a Cirrus pilot decide that he could outrun me and dropped into the pattern directly in front of me on the downwind about 300 feet ahead. I was in a 182T doing 80 kts with a student. I took control and executed an immediate right run away from that SOB. He did hear about it.
I often use a midfield crosswind entry.
IMHO it is perfectly safe, it’s just a matter of scanning the other traffic & slotting yourself into the flow.
It’s actually easier to fit myself either behind or in front of other traffic using the crosswind entry than it is using the 45 entry, by adjusting where I will actually enter the downwind leg.
Here’s an article on the new-ish FAA guidelines for pattern entry:
https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/what-new-traffic-pattern-rules-mean/
In the last 50 years I’ve read so many harrowing stories about the “pattern”, the innocent and the predators. Yet both scream when they hear someone is using straight in approaches rather than tangle in their mayhem.
Can’t say I’ve ever seen airliners and corporate jets fly the pattern. They seem to in and out to and from whatever is practical. They also aren’t noted for stall spins in the pattern either.
Personally I set up for straight in or base approaches well before the airport environment, controlled or not.
Sounds like a normal day at my home airport…
The recent FAA advisory on this sort of downwind entry is the worst idea ever to hit the pages of FAA advice. It literally has two planes meeting head on if a plane is on a 45 entry.
I have never had a near miss & hope I never do. I have not flown in a while. About 7 or 8 mounts ago I took several lessons to recertify, but my money was running out. So hopping for better finances I stopped. As looking for better days i hope will come. They have not come as of yet.
I have never had a near miss & hope I never do. I have not flown in a while. About 7 or 8 mounts ago I took several lessons to recertify, but my money was running out. So hopping for better finances I stopped. As looking for better days i hope will come. They have not come as of yet.
The only time I enter midfield and turn downwind at pattern altitude is when there is no other aircraft. I usually cross midfield 500 to 1000 above PA and do a teardrop entry because I think it’s fun to do.
Everyone in the pattern when this deaf/blind idiot decided to “crash” the party hopefully landed safely, then went en mass to beat the perp into a pulp, then sign a group hazard report to their FSDO. Strong comment to follow… 🤬