Narrative:

The ceiling was 1400 ft with rain. I filed an IFR flight plan with a void time clearance. I wanted to include a full run-up before departure. I had completed my preflight portion before getting my clearance, but due to the WX I didn't want to taxi out and check everything, then taxi back and shut down and run to the phone booth for my void time off. So, after completing all my instrument and aircraft instruments and doing a run-up, I began to feel rushed. Because I was hurrying, I failed to check communication switches and was not on the unicom frequency of the uncontrolled airport, even though I had set it in correctly, the switch was on communication #2, my departure frequency with ZOA. If I had not felt 'rushed' due to the void time clearance I would have checked the switches again. Even though I announced my intentions to 'take the active for a straight-out departure runway 29 at petaluma airport' -- the incoming traffic could not hear me! The second mistake was that I did not make a complete 360 degree turn, which I always do at non-towered airports to look for traffic. I did a 90 degree turn, with a quick look and then turned back and entered the runway. I was very surprised when a plane flew by about 200- 300 ft above me. At the same time my copilot said 'you have the selector on the wrong frequency.' I immediately switched over and apologized to the other plane and then took off. I entered IMC at 1400 ft and began my turn toward the VOR as directed, flipped the switch to ZOA and contacted them. I was not happy with myself for feeling 'rushed' and not being my usual safety conscious self. A couple of extra mins to fully turn around and scan the sky and rechk communication switches is more important than creating an accident because of the stress of a void time clearance. To avert this problem in the future, I plan to taxi out and do a full run-up, taxi back and shut down to get my void time clearance. That way I will not be feeling like I am 'rushed.'

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C172 TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AT A NON TWR ARPT CAUSING ANOTHER ACFT TO GAR. EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD ANNOUNCED HER INTENTIONS ON UNICOM, SHE WAS NOT BEING HEARD SINCE THE XMITTER SWITCH WAS SELECTED ON THE OTHER RADIO. IN ADDITION, SHE DID NOT CLR THE RWY APCH AREA BY TURNING AROUND THE ACFT AND LOOKING!

Narrative: THE CEILING WAS 1400 FT WITH RAIN. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH A VOID TIME CLRNC. I WANTED TO INCLUDE A FULL RUN-UP BEFORE DEP. I HAD COMPLETED MY PREFLT PORTION BEFORE GETTING MY CLRNC, BUT DUE TO THE WX I DIDN'T WANT TO TAXI OUT AND CHK EVERYTHING, THEN TAXI BACK AND SHUT DOWN AND RUN TO THE PHONE BOOTH FOR MY VOID TIME OFF. SO, AFTER COMPLETING ALL MY INST AND ACFT INSTS AND DOING A RUN-UP, I BEGAN TO FEEL RUSHED. BECAUSE I WAS HURRYING, I FAILED TO CHK COM SWITCHES AND WAS NOT ON THE UNICOM FREQ OF THE UNCTLED ARPT, EVEN THOUGH I HAD SET IT IN CORRECTLY, THE SWITCH WAS ON COM #2, MY DEP FREQ WITH ZOA. IF I HAD NOT FELT 'RUSHED' DUE TO THE VOID TIME CLRNC I WOULD HAVE CHKED THE SWITCHES AGAIN. EVEN THOUGH I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS TO 'TAKE THE ACTIVE FOR A STRAIGHT-OUT DEP RWY 29 AT PETALUMA ARPT' -- THE INCOMING TFC COULD NOT HEAR ME! THE SECOND MISTAKE WAS THAT I DID NOT MAKE A COMPLETE 360 DEG TURN, WHICH I ALWAYS DO AT NON-TOWERED ARPTS TO LOOK FOR TFC. I DID A 90 DEG TURN, WITH A QUICK LOOK AND THEN TURNED BACK AND ENTERED THE RWY. I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN A PLANE FLEW BY ABOUT 200- 300 FT ABOVE ME. AT THE SAME TIME MY COPLT SAID 'YOU HAVE THE SELECTOR ON THE WRONG FREQ.' I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED OVER AND APOLOGIZED TO THE OTHER PLANE AND THEN TOOK OFF. I ENTERED IMC AT 1400 FT AND BEGAN MY TURN TOWARD THE VOR AS DIRECTED, FLIPPED THE SWITCH TO ZOA AND CONTACTED THEM. I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH MYSELF FOR FEELING 'RUSHED' AND NOT BEING MY USUAL SAFETY CONSCIOUS SELF. A COUPLE OF EXTRA MINS TO FULLY TURN AROUND AND SCAN THE SKY AND RECHK COM SWITCHES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CREATING AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE STRESS OF A VOID TIME CLRNC. TO AVERT THIS PROB IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO TAXI OUT AND DO A FULL RUN-UP, TAXI BACK AND SHUT DOWN TO GET MY VOID TIME CLRNC. THAT WAY I WILL NOT BE FEELING LIKE I AM 'RUSHED.'

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.