Narrative:

In summary I ran up the engine while perpendicular to the runway, taxied onto the runway, and took off. At liftoff an small aircraft Y went by me on the right. I stayed low and he went above and in front of me to return for landing. I went on my way. I'm bothered by this incident because I thought I had diligently looked for landing traffic. I ran up the engine in a position where I could (and did) look for approaching traffic. When I entered the runway I angled my plane so that I had a clear view along the approach path and about 30 degree to my blind side, and began my takeoff promptly. In talking with friends later, who had seen at least part of the incident, they said that the small aircraft had made a tight, close-in approach. He may have been low enough that I couldn't have seen him over the trees behind the taxiway and along the approach path. Had there been an accident, I presume I would have been at fault. How do I prevent a recurrence? I've seen planes do a 360 degree turn while sitting at the end of the runway. Is that good practice or not? I may or may not have seen the small aircraft and I didn't think sitting on the end of the runway was considered a good idea. Does the pilot of the small aircraft share any blame for the manner of his approach? Regardless, how do I become aware of him next time? I've spent considerable time thinking about this incident, but I'm not coming up with much that I think is useful. When I takeoff, I don't just glance up into the sky, I look carefully; where do I go from here?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC AT NON TWR ARPT UNICOM.

Narrative: IN SUMMARY I RAN UP THE ENG WHILE PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY, TAXIED ONTO THE RWY, AND TOOK OFF. AT LIFTOFF AN SMA Y WENT BY ME ON THE R. I STAYED LOW AND HE WENT ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF ME TO RETURN FOR LNDG. I WENT ON MY WAY. I'M BOTHERED BY THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD DILIGENTLY LOOKED FOR LNDG TFC. I RAN UP THE ENG IN A POS WHERE I COULD (AND DID) LOOK FOR APCHING TFC. WHEN I ENTERED THE RWY I ANGLED MY PLANE SO THAT I HAD A CLR VIEW ALONG THE APCH PATH AND ABOUT 30 DEG TO MY BLIND SIDE, AND BEGAN MY TKOF PROMPTLY. IN TALKING WITH FRIENDS LATER, WHO HAD SEEN AT LEAST PART OF THE INCIDENT, THEY SAID THAT THE SMA HAD MADE A TIGHT, CLOSE-IN APCH. HE MAY HAVE BEEN LOW ENOUGH THAT I COULDN'T HAVE SEEN HIM OVER THE TREES BEHIND THE TAXIWAY AND ALONG THE APCH PATH. HAD THERE BEEN AN ACCIDENT, I PRESUME I WOULD HAVE BEEN AT FAULT. HOW DO I PREVENT A RECURRENCE? I'VE SEEN PLANES DO A 360 DEG TURN WHILE SITTING AT THE END OF THE RWY. IS THAT GOOD PRACTICE OR NOT? I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE SMA AND I DIDN'T THINK SITTING ON THE END OF THE RWY WAS CONSIDERED A GOOD IDEA. DOES THE PLT OF THE SMA SHARE ANY BLAME FOR THE MANNER OF HIS APCH? REGARDLESS, HOW DO I BECOME AWARE OF HIM NEXT TIME? I'VE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, BUT I'M NOT COMING UP WITH MUCH THAT I THINK IS USEFUL. WHEN I TKOF, I DON'T JUST GLANCE UP INTO THE SKY, I LOOK CAREFULLY; WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.