Small aircraft loses altitude in traffic pattern avoiding near midair collision with another aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	342210
Time
Date	199607
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : i21
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
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	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 320 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	342210
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying an experimental aircraft that I was practicing lndgs at other airport than my base, mqj. I enter a normal downwind traffic pattern and made a radio call for a left downwind for runway 18, then reduced power at midfield. Turning base I also made a radio call. As soon as I made that radio call another aircraft said that they were on base at the same location. Now flying west I was blinded by the sun and haze. I then spotted the other aircraft, I made a right turn from base. While in the turn the aircraft lost altitude. Full power was added at that time. I noticed I was only 200 ft above a housing addition at full power! I instantly climbed to 1800 ft MSL and landed at mqj without any problems. Factors that could prevent this in the future are: wear sunglasses! Other aircraft radioing crosswind, downwind, base, final, clear of active. Pilots ability to maintain altitude in turns. Housing addition is too close to an approach end of a runway. Quieter exhaust system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOSES ALT IN TFC PATTERN AVOIDING NMAC WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT THAT I WAS PRACTICING LNDGS AT OTHER ARPT THAN MY BASE, MQJ. I ENTER A NORMAL DOWNWIND TFC PATTERN AND MADE A RADIO CALL FOR A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18, THEN REDUCED PWR AT MIDFIELD. TURNING BASE I ALSO MADE A RADIO CALL. AS SOON AS I MADE THAT RADIO CALL ANOTHER ACFT SAID THAT THEY WERE ON BASE AT THE SAME LOCATION. NOW FLYING W I WAS BLINDED BY THE SUN AND HAZE. I THEN SPOTTED THE OTHER ACFT, I MADE A R TURN FROM BASE. WHILE IN THE TURN THE ACFT LOST ALT. FULL PWR WAS ADDED AT THAT TIME. I NOTICED I WAS ONLY 200 FT ABOVE A HOUSING ADDITION AT FULL PWR! I INSTANTLY CLBED TO 1800 FT MSL AND LANDED AT MQJ WITHOUT ANY PROBS. FACTORS THAT COULD PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE ARE: WEAR SUNGLASSES! OTHER ACFT RADIOING XWIND, DOWNWIND, BASE, FINAL, CLR OF ACTIVE. PLTS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALT IN TURNS. HOUSING ADDITION IS TOO CLOSE TO AN APCH END OF A RWY. QUIETER EXHAUST SYS.

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.

Small aircraft loses altitude in traffic pattern avoiding near midair collision with another aircraft.