PA44 pilot entering the traffic pattern on downwind reports a near midair collision with a C172 in t...

Attributes
ACN	1019349
Time
Date	201206
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	PKD.Airport
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole/Turbo Seminole
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Landing
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying Check Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 3000 Flight Crew Type 500
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 500 Vertical 0

Narrative:

During airfield over flight to enter down wind to runway 13 heard cessna report on downwind for runway 13. We were trying to locate traffic. We were in a position over downwind to start our descent to tpa. While descending we made another radio call that we were descending to the north of the airport to enter down wind. At approximately 2;600 ft MSL the cessna aircraft passed in front of us from right to left at our altitude. At the same time the instructor pilot from the cessna asked 'what are you doing; pass behind us...' at approx the same time we saw the traffic and made a slight turn to increase the distance of the aircraft and proceeded to enter the pattern.there was a haze in the sky that made it very difficult to locate a white aircraft on a white back drop with the sunlight also very bright in the early morning. In our opinion; cessna aircraft could have made more traffic calls on location. Cannot determine if the cessna had us in sight but clearly saw us before we saw them. In this case they should have made adjustments to avoid our flight path by changing altitude. The traffic pattern conducted by the cessna was a little larger than we fly; we expected to be clear of traffic. Also it appeared that they were flying 200 ft high. We could've asked and verified the aircraft position prior to initiating descent to tpa.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 pilot entering the traffic pattern on downwind reports a NMAC with a C172 in the pattern and also on downwind. The C172 pilot apparently had the PA44 in sight but the PA44 pilot did not see the C172 until they were very close.

Narrative: During airfield over flight to enter down wind to Runway 13 heard Cessna report on downwind for Runway 13. We were trying to locate traffic. We were in a position over downwind to start our descent to TPA. While descending we made another radio call that we were descending to the north of the airport to enter down wind. At approximately 2;600 FT MSL the Cessna aircraft passed in front of us from right to left at our altitude. At the same time the Instructor pilot from the Cessna asked 'what are you doing; Pass behind us...' At approx the same time we saw the traffic and made a slight turn to increase the distance of the aircraft and proceeded to enter the pattern.There was a haze in the sky that made it very difficult to locate a white aircraft on a white back drop with the sunlight also very bright in the early morning. In our opinion; Cessna aircraft could have made more traffic calls on location. Cannot determine if the Cessna had us in sight but clearly saw us before we saw them. In this case they should have made adjustments to avoid our flight path by changing altitude. The traffic pattern conducted by the Cessna was a little larger than we fly; we expected to be clear of traffic. Also it appeared that they were flying 200 FT high. We could've asked and verified the aircraft position prior to initiating descent to TPA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

PA44 pilot entering the traffic pattern on downwind reports a near midair collision with a C172 in the pattern and also on downwind. The C172 pilot apparently had the PA44 in sight but the PA44 pilot did not see the C172 until they were very close.