Near midair collision at non tower airport unicom.

Attributes
ACN	254563
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpf
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ilm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 448 flight time type : 49
ASRS Report	254563
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 150 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In sum: pilot of biplane lands at non tower airport after many self announcements on CTAF. Notes nothing unusual. Ground man comments that there was another small aircraft on takeoff on the opposite direction/same runway takeoff that turned out of traffic just as reporter was landing. Missed by about 100-200 ft. Later, reporter spotted same small aircraft returning and asked the pilot and passenger, his wife, about this near midair collision. Pilot Y got defensive and refused to talk about a possible radio problem and accused reporter of using the wrong runway for landing. Reporter went on in great length about the visibility problems with biplanes after flaring and the need for steeper approachs after a very good visual check on the runway in use, almost discounting the viability of the 2-WAY radio procedure as most pilots 'don't use the radio at non tower airports anyway.' visual acquisition is the key, see and avoid. Sun was setting, hard to see another aircraft on runway. Accuses other pilot of pilot behavior complacency and using wrong runway for shorter taxi route, plus unprofessional attitude in seeing his aircraft in pattern and rushing his takeoff to beat reporter's aircraft during his departure procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC AT NON TWR ARPT UNICOM.

Narrative: IN SUM: PLT OF BIPLANE LANDS AT NON TWR ARPT AFTER MANY SELF ANNOUNCEMENTS ON CTAF. NOTES NOTHING UNUSUAL. GND MAN COMMENTS THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER SMA ON TKOF ON THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION/SAME RWY TKOF THAT TURNED OUT OF TFC JUST AS RPTR WAS LNDG. MISSED BY ABOUT 100-200 FT. LATER, RPTR SPOTTED SAME SMA RETURNING AND ASKED THE PLT AND PAX, HIS WIFE, ABOUT THIS NMAC. PLT Y GOT DEFENSIVE AND REFUSED TO TALK ABOUT A POSSIBLE RADIO PROB AND ACCUSED RPTR OF USING THE WRONG RWY FOR LNDG. RPTR WENT ON IN GREAT LENGTH ABOUT THE VISIBILITY PROBS WITH BIPLANES AFTER FLARING AND THE NEED FOR STEEPER APCHS AFTER A VERY GOOD VISUAL CHK ON THE RWY IN USE, ALMOST DISCOUNTING THE VIABILITY OF THE 2-WAY RADIO PROC AS MOST PLTS 'DON'T USE THE RADIO AT NON TWR ARPTS ANYWAY.' VISUAL ACQUISITION IS THE KEY, SEE AND AVOID. SUN WAS SETTING, HARD TO SEE ANOTHER ACFT ON RWY. ACCUSES OTHER PLT OF PLT BEHAVIOR COMPLACENCY AND USING WRONG RWY FOR SHORTER TAXI RTE, PLUS UNPROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE IN SEEING HIS ACFT IN PATTERN AND RUSHING HIS TKOF TO BEAT RPTR'S ACFT DURING HIS DEP PROC.

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.