JonJay
Well Known Member
I thought I would share an experience I had with a Near Miss a couple of weeks ago. I normally don't start many threads, but was encouraged to do so in this case.
I fly out of Tillamook Oregon, a WWII Naval Air Station and Blimp Base. It is very typical of the WWII airports that where built after Pearl Harbor up and down the West Coast. Large fields with very good runways oriented for our coastal conditions. One Blimp Hangar is still there, largest free span structure in the world, and a couple of the round launch pads. It is a great place for people to train, and only a 20 minute or so flight for a 150 to get from our busiest training airport in Hillsboro Or.
The airport has been getting busier over the past few years as folks have discovered the relatively un-congested airspace, cheap fuel. Just yesterday I flew with my wife and upon our return, there where five aircraft working the area. I would still say this is unusual, but becoming more frequent.
My story:
I was returning from a local flight. I heard three aircraft announcing positions and doing pattern work. I oriented myself for a 45 entry for 31, the runway being used. I announced 5 miles west of the field with my intent. Immediately following my call, a Bonanza called 7 miles west and that he would be looking for the RV. All good.
I entered the 45 soon after and announced my position. I entered downwind ahead of a 172 doing pattern work. He had just turned cross wind. I noticed a Citation holding for clearance, a call made earlier, on 31 hold short line.
All good,
As I approach my base turn, the Citation calls the runway and rolls to position. Ok, a few more seconds and I would have landed and been clear, but, hey, he's been waiting. Now the decision tree......
I could easily land before the take off point of the Citation, but I am in no hurry and out of an abundance of caution, decided I would not continue to land for wake turbulence avoidance. I decided not to land.
I could extend my downwind, but I have a 172 behind me, and a Bonanza somewhere behind us both? No sense in stretching this thing out for two minutes.
I could do a 360 and re-enter the pattern behind the 172, but there is a Bonanza out there somewhere, and he hasn't called in his 45 entry. He hasn't called in at all.
So, I called out my intentions. RV turning base will maintain 1000' (pattern altitude), fly the runway center line and re-enter downwind. My intentions where turn cross wind and re-enter, just as if I had a go around, or was doing pattern work.
All good.
Shortly before I was going to announce my turn to cross wind, a had a windscreen full of Bonanza belly. What the He.....xxx! The Bonanza announced that he saw me and he must have been stepped on. Huh? He continued his odd modified cross wind, 45 degrees to the centerline, pitched up aggressively, and dropped his gear in the middle of his turn to downwind. All done at pattern altitude
I follow around, land behind him, and he taxis to fuel. I land short and back taxi on the cross runway 19 to my hangar. I call for the Bonanza. No answer. I ask the 172 still working the pattern if he heard the Bonanza make any calls after he called 7 miles west? No. Did he hear my calls? Yes. click click
At my hangar, one of my hangar neighbors is waiting for me. He was walking his dog and saw the whole thing. He is angry as ****.
That Bonanza comes in here for fuel often. Did you go talk to him, did you get his N number? He comes in from the east and does this hopped up weird turn, drops his gear and enters the downwind. He's going to hurt somebody! I said I didn't talk to him and honestly don't do that anymore as past experience tells me idiots like that don't care or listen. My bad.
The next day, another neighbor comes over and says he heard I had a scare. He's a CFI and does training locally. I walked him through the scenario and my decisions. He felt I did what he would have done and didn't offer an alternative. Directly over the runway is supposed to be the safest place in the pattern right?
So, what happened?
The Bonanza mis-announced his direction. He was east, not west. It happens.
I couldn't see the Bonanza as he was coming in right and behind me at that weird cross wind angle.
The Bonanza came in and made his moves at pattern altitude.
The entire point of this post is a reminder. Standard pattern entries exist for a reason. This is a prime example of a close call that should have never happened.
Did I make all of the right decisions? Perhaps, perhaps not, doesn't matter. If the Bonanza came in with a standard entry, or even did his modified cross wind above pattern altitude, it isn't great, but it probably doesn't end up in a close call.
Most of us do non-standard pattern entries from time to time. I do. I will practice an initial and break. I will fly a cross wind and enter downwind if the pattern doesn't have other aircraft, or isn't very busy and spacing looks good. I will occasionally go straight in, traffic permitting.
Also, remember, there may be folks not talking or without radios?
A standard pattern entry is the safest way to enter a pattern. We all know that, but a reminder doesn't hurt.
Be Safe out there!
I fly out of Tillamook Oregon, a WWII Naval Air Station and Blimp Base. It is very typical of the WWII airports that where built after Pearl Harbor up and down the West Coast. Large fields with very good runways oriented for our coastal conditions. One Blimp Hangar is still there, largest free span structure in the world, and a couple of the round launch pads. It is a great place for people to train, and only a 20 minute or so flight for a 150 to get from our busiest training airport in Hillsboro Or.
The airport has been getting busier over the past few years as folks have discovered the relatively un-congested airspace, cheap fuel. Just yesterday I flew with my wife and upon our return, there where five aircraft working the area. I would still say this is unusual, but becoming more frequent.
My story:
I was returning from a local flight. I heard three aircraft announcing positions and doing pattern work. I oriented myself for a 45 entry for 31, the runway being used. I announced 5 miles west of the field with my intent. Immediately following my call, a Bonanza called 7 miles west and that he would be looking for the RV. All good.
I entered the 45 soon after and announced my position. I entered downwind ahead of a 172 doing pattern work. He had just turned cross wind. I noticed a Citation holding for clearance, a call made earlier, on 31 hold short line.
All good,
As I approach my base turn, the Citation calls the runway and rolls to position. Ok, a few more seconds and I would have landed and been clear, but, hey, he's been waiting. Now the decision tree......
I could easily land before the take off point of the Citation, but I am in no hurry and out of an abundance of caution, decided I would not continue to land for wake turbulence avoidance. I decided not to land.
I could extend my downwind, but I have a 172 behind me, and a Bonanza somewhere behind us both? No sense in stretching this thing out for two minutes.
I could do a 360 and re-enter the pattern behind the 172, but there is a Bonanza out there somewhere, and he hasn't called in his 45 entry. He hasn't called in at all.
So, I called out my intentions. RV turning base will maintain 1000' (pattern altitude), fly the runway center line and re-enter downwind. My intentions where turn cross wind and re-enter, just as if I had a go around, or was doing pattern work.
All good.
Shortly before I was going to announce my turn to cross wind, a had a windscreen full of Bonanza belly. What the He.....xxx! The Bonanza announced that he saw me and he must have been stepped on. Huh? He continued his odd modified cross wind, 45 degrees to the centerline, pitched up aggressively, and dropped his gear in the middle of his turn to downwind. All done at pattern altitude
I follow around, land behind him, and he taxis to fuel. I land short and back taxi on the cross runway 19 to my hangar. I call for the Bonanza. No answer. I ask the 172 still working the pattern if he heard the Bonanza make any calls after he called 7 miles west? No. Did he hear my calls? Yes. click click
At my hangar, one of my hangar neighbors is waiting for me. He was walking his dog and saw the whole thing. He is angry as ****.
That Bonanza comes in here for fuel often. Did you go talk to him, did you get his N number? He comes in from the east and does this hopped up weird turn, drops his gear and enters the downwind. He's going to hurt somebody! I said I didn't talk to him and honestly don't do that anymore as past experience tells me idiots like that don't care or listen. My bad.
The next day, another neighbor comes over and says he heard I had a scare. He's a CFI and does training locally. I walked him through the scenario and my decisions. He felt I did what he would have done and didn't offer an alternative. Directly over the runway is supposed to be the safest place in the pattern right?
So, what happened?
The Bonanza mis-announced his direction. He was east, not west. It happens.
I couldn't see the Bonanza as he was coming in right and behind me at that weird cross wind angle.
The Bonanza came in and made his moves at pattern altitude.
The entire point of this post is a reminder. Standard pattern entries exist for a reason. This is a prime example of a close call that should have never happened.
Did I make all of the right decisions? Perhaps, perhaps not, doesn't matter. If the Bonanza came in with a standard entry, or even did his modified cross wind above pattern altitude, it isn't great, but it probably doesn't end up in a close call.
Most of us do non-standard pattern entries from time to time. I do. I will practice an initial and break. I will fly a cross wind and enter downwind if the pattern doesn't have other aircraft, or isn't very busy and spacing looks good. I will occasionally go straight in, traffic permitting.
Also, remember, there may be folks not talking or without radios?
A standard pattern entry is the safest way to enter a pattern. We all know that, but a reminder doesn't hurt.
Be Safe out there!