Near midair collision at a non tower airport CTAF between 2 arrival aircraft, one of which is NORDO ...

Attributes
ACN	346268
Time
Date	199609
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : olu
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	346268
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 10
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a routine arrival into columbus airport from the east (omaha), canceled IFR for a visual approach into columbus 5 mi east of airport. Reported overhead entry 500 ft above tpa (2900 ft) and sequenced into downwind leg for runway 32, behind a piper lance turning final. During rollout from base to final I noticed a yellow piper cub with 2 people in it slightly higher and right of my right wing. I continued for approach to landing and landed without incident (2100 ft altitude). Later, in discussion with the cub's passenger, the visibly shaken passenger said the pilot never saw our aircraft on left base (piper chieftain PA31-350). He stated they were sight-seeing along the platte river at low altitude. Because it was dusk, the pilot of the cub (no electrical or radio) decided to land straight-in on runway 32, drop off his passenger, and depart for home field. Cause and contributing factors: 1) poor/reduced visibility and near dusk, 2) improper pattern entry by the piper cub, 3) failure of both pilots to see and avoid, and 4) lack of radio communications. Corrective actions: 1) better visual scanning for traffic, at uncontrolled airports in particular, 2) standard pattern entry by all pilots at all times during VFR flight and IFR flight when practical, and 4) recognize complacency when operating off home base airport. Stay alert.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC AT A NON TWR ARPT CTAF BTWN 2 ARR ACFT, ONE OF WHICH IS NORDO TFC.

Narrative: DURING A ROUTINE ARR INTO COLUMBUS ARPT FROM THE E (OMAHA), CANCELED IFR FOR A VISUAL APCH INTO COLUMBUS 5 MI E OF ARPT. RPTED OVERHEAD ENTRY 500 FT ABOVE TPA (2900 FT) AND SEQUENCED INTO DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 32, BEHIND A PIPER LANCE TURNING FINAL. DURING ROLLOUT FROM BASE TO FINAL I NOTICED A YELLOW PIPER CUB WITH 2 PEOPLE IN IT SLIGHTLY HIGHER AND R OF MY R WING. I CONTINUED FOR APCH TO LNDG AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT (2100 FT ALT). LATER, IN DISCUSSION WITH THE CUB'S PAX, THE VISIBLY SHAKEN PAX SAID THE PLT NEVER SAW OUR ACFT ON L BASE (PIPER CHIEFTAIN PA31-350). HE STATED THEY WERE SIGHT-SEEING ALONG THE PLATTE RIVER AT LOW ALT. BECAUSE IT WAS DUSK, THE PLT OF THE CUB (NO ELECTRICAL OR RADIO) DECIDED TO LAND STRAIGHT-IN ON RWY 32, DROP OFF HIS PAX, AND DEPART FOR HOME FIELD. CAUSE AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) POOR/REDUCED VISIBILITY AND NEAR DUSK, 2) IMPROPER PATTERN ENTRY BY THE PIPER CUB, 3) FAILURE OF BOTH PLTS TO SEE AND AVOID, AND 4) LACK OF RADIO COMS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) BETTER VISUAL SCANNING FOR TFC, AT UNCTLED ARPTS IN PARTICULAR, 2) STANDARD PATTERN ENTRY BY ALL PLTS AT ALL TIMES DURING VFR FLT AND IFR FLT WHEN PRACTICAL, AND 4) RECOGNIZE COMPLACENCY WHEN OPERATING OFF HOME BASE ARPT. STAY ALERT.

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.

Near midair collision at a non tower airport CTAF between 2 arrival aircraft, one of which is NORDO traffic.