Pilot judgement of traffic spacing -- pilot quickly takes off when he realizes that the aircraft on ...

Attributes
ACN	312326
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ofk
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 825 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	312326
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On aug/wed/95 I stopped at karl stephan memorial airport in norfolk nebraska, to get gas for a VFR flight. After completing a runup I monitored the unicom frequency. I heard several aircraft on the frequency and was listing for 'stafan traffic.' I did not hear any traffic for the airport but I did hear an aircraft call a 5 mi final for a straight in for 'norfolk.' I looked at the traffic pattern and did not see anyone in the normal VFR pattern. I did see an aircraft on a long straight in final (3-5 mi would be my estimate) because I could only see the landing lights. I took the runway for an immediate rolling takeoff and then I heard a pilot say that he was on a 1 mi final at norfolk. It was at that time I connected the 2 names together. I told him that I had him in sight and continued the takeoff. If I aborted I felt that I would not be able to clear the runway for him to land. As soon as I was safely airborne, I maneuvered to be clear of the runway so that the aircraft could land. I then turned crosswind and it was at this point the aircraft touched down safely on the runway. Contributing factors: the pilot may have been very familiar with the local area. I was not. I use the name of the field that is printed on sectional to listen for unicom traffic. Using the name of the city that the airport is close to is not a good idea, especially for transient aircraft who are not familiar with the local area and when the name of the airport is very different from the name of the town or city. The aircraft may have been a fast mover, I am not sure, at this point. An aircraft on a 5 mi final will normally take 3-4 mins to land. Unless he idented himself as a fast moving aircraft. Lear jet or super king air etc. I am not sure that the aircraft was even giving accurate position reports. How did he determine how far from the airport he was? This is another example of not following the VFR traffic pattern that is in the aim. As we know straight INS are more risky and if you are flying one be sure to give accurate position reports, say the correct name of the airport and if you are a fast moving aircraft let other aircraft in the area know.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT JUDGEMENT OF TFC SPACING -- PLT QUICKLY TAKES OFF WHEN HE REALIZES THAT THE ACFT ON THE FINAL APCH IS MUCH CLOSER THAN HE HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.

Narrative: ON AUG/WED/95 I STOPPED AT KARL STEPHAN MEMORIAL ARPT IN NORFOLK NEBRASKA, TO GET GAS FOR A VFR FLT. AFTER COMPLETING A RUNUP I MONITORED THE UNICOM FREQ. I HEARD SEVERAL ACFT ON THE FREQ AND WAS LISTING FOR 'STAFAN TFC.' I DID NOT HEAR ANY TFC FOR THE ARPT BUT I DID HEAR AN ACFT CALL A 5 MI FINAL FOR A STRAIGHT IN FOR 'NORFOLK.' I LOOKED AT THE TFC PATTERN AND DID NOT SEE ANYONE IN THE NORMAL VFR PATTERN. I DID SEE AN ACFT ON A LONG STRAIGHT IN FINAL (3-5 MI WOULD BE MY ESTIMATE) BECAUSE I COULD ONLY SEE THE LNDG LIGHTS. I TOOK THE RWY FOR AN IMMEDIATE ROLLING TKOF AND THEN I HEARD A PLT SAY THAT HE WAS ON A 1 MI FINAL AT NORFOLK. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I CONNECTED THE 2 NAMES TOGETHER. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD HIM IN SIGHT AND CONTINUED THE TKOF. IF I ABORTED I FELT THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CLR THE RWY FOR HIM TO LAND. AS SOON AS I WAS SAFELY AIRBORNE, I MANEUVERED TO BE CLR OF THE RWY SO THAT THE ACFT COULD LAND. I THEN TURNED XWIND AND IT WAS AT THIS POINT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SAFELY ON THE RWY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE PLT MAY HAVE BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL AREA. I WAS NOT. I USE THE NAME OF THE FIELD THAT IS PRINTED ON SECTIONAL TO LISTEN FOR UNICOM TFC. USING THE NAME OF THE CITY THAT THE ARPT IS CLOSE TO IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY FOR TRANSIENT ACFT WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL AREA AND WHEN THE NAME OF THE ARPT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE NAME OF THE TOWN OR CITY. THE ACFT MAY HAVE BEEN A FAST MOVER, I AM NOT SURE, AT THIS POINT. AN ACFT ON A 5 MI FINAL WILL NORMALLY TAKE 3-4 MINS TO LAND. UNLESS HE IDENTED HIMSELF AS A FAST MOVING ACFT. LEAR JET OR SUPER KING AIR ETC. I AM NOT SURE THAT THE ACFT WAS EVEN GIVING ACCURATE POS RPTS. HOW DID HE DETERMINE HOW FAR FROM THE ARPT HE WAS? THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NOT FOLLOWING THE VFR TFC PATTERN THAT IS IN THE AIM. AS WE KNOW STRAIGHT INS ARE MORE RISKY AND IF YOU ARE FLYING ONE BE SURE TO GIVE ACCURATE POS RPTS, SAY THE CORRECT NAME OF THE ARPT AND IF YOU ARE A FAST MOVING ACFT LET OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA KNOW.

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.

Pilot judgement of traffic spacing -- pilot quickly takes off when he realizes that the aircraft on the final approach is much closer than he had originally thought.