Narrative:

I was in the chase plane (gnat experimental single engine jet trainer) when a P-40 race plane pulled off the race course. All premature pulloffs are considered emergencys (otherwise the aircraft would finish the race) and as I rejoined with the P-40, race control had talked to him, with his response being he did not have any emergency but had to land. He either elected or was given runway 8 at stead. This runway has a deadline at the immediate edge of it plus also is the turning point for racers still in the race. This makes the intersection of runway 8 and the race track a busy place with racers passing the area where planes are landing. Recognizing this from many past yrs, I chased the P-40 to touchdown and then initiated a go around to re-enter the race track at the higher observation altitudes. The subsequent go around was over the deadline, the pit crowd and was the result of the requirement to chase an emergency aircraft to touchdown. The problem here is the conflicting requirement to chase emergencys to this specific runway while also breaking the airshow deadline. Correction: either change the chase to touchdown requirement to something like the USAF uses with mobile/sof units or allow discretionary flight in deadlined airspace for emergency flts or limit the chase responsibilities/altitude/direction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR RACE CHASE PLANE PLT OVERFLEW THE SPECTATOR 'DEADLINE' DURING GAR AFTER PROVIDING CHASE TO A LNDG AIR RACE PLANE.

Narrative: I WAS IN THE CHASE PLANE (GNAT EXPERIMENTAL SINGLE ENG JET TRAINER) WHEN A P-40 RACE PLANE PULLED OFF THE RACE COURSE. ALL PREMATURE PULLOFFS ARE CONSIDERED EMERS (OTHERWISE THE ACFT WOULD FINISH THE RACE) AND AS I REJOINED WITH THE P-40, RACE CTL HAD TALKED TO HIM, WITH HIS RESPONSE BEING HE DID NOT HAVE ANY EMER BUT HAD TO LAND. HE EITHER ELECTED OR WAS GIVEN RWY 8 AT STEAD. THIS RWY HAS A DEADLINE AT THE IMMEDIATE EDGE OF IT PLUS ALSO IS THE TURNING POINT FOR RACERS STILL IN THE RACE. THIS MAKES THE INTXN OF RWY 8 AND THE RACE TRACK A BUSY PLACE WITH RACERS PASSING THE AREA WHERE PLANES ARE LNDG. RECOGNIZING THIS FROM MANY PAST YRS, I CHASED THE P-40 TO TOUCHDOWN AND THEN INITIATED A GAR TO RE-ENTER THE RACE TRACK AT THE HIGHER OBSERVATION ALTS. THE SUBSEQUENT GAR WAS OVER THE DEADLINE, THE PIT CROWD AND WAS THE RESULT OF THE REQUIREMENT TO CHASE AN EMER ACFT TO TOUCHDOWN. THE PROB HERE IS THE CONFLICTING REQUIREMENT TO CHASE EMERS TO THIS SPECIFIC RWY WHILE ALSO BREAKING THE AIRSHOW DEADLINE. CORRECTION: EITHER CHANGE THE CHASE TO TOUCHDOWN REQUIREMENT TO SOMETHING LIKE THE USAF USES WITH MOBILE/SOF UNITS OR ALLOW DISCRETIONARY FLT IN DEADLINED AIRSPACE FOR EMER FLTS OR LIMIT THE CHASE RESPONSIBILITIES/ALT/DIRECTION.

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.