Conflict between a C414 twin and a piper PA28 on a downwind leg to an uncontrolled airport when the ...

Attributes
ACN	367871
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : l35
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Chancellor 414A & C414
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	367871
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The airport sits in an east/west valley with rising terrain 1/2 NM north of the runway and less than 2 NM south. Traffic pattern is flown wide on the south side of the field to minimize noise over population and because of terrain and high field elevation (more than 6700 ft). Both aircraft were in continuous radio contact with all position reported. I entered extended downwind left traffic runway 26 (L35) slowing to approximately 100 KTS. The piper (aircraft #2) was already mid-field traveling much slower (estimated 80 KTS). Approximately 1/2 mi beyond the numbers of runway 26, my aircraft (#1) caught up with aircraft #2 and passed 100-200 yards off his right wing. Aircraft #2 continued downwind and set up for a long final (a student was practicing). Aircraft #1 continued downwind until terrain rose on the east, turned base and final, overflew the airport and re-entered from crosswind. The situation was handled smoothly by both pilots but the spacing was closer than optimal. On further thought I believe my best course would have been to climb well above the pattern and overfly, re-entering from crosswind, having passed well above aircraft #2.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFLICT BTWN A C414 TWIN AND A PIPER PA28 ON A DOWNWIND LEG TO AN UNCTLED ARPT WHEN THE RPTR PASSED BY THE PIPER.

Narrative: THE ARPT SITS IN AN E/W VALLEY WITH RISING TERRAIN 1/2 NM N OF THE RWY AND LESS THAN 2 NM S. TFC PATTERN IS FLOWN WIDE ON THE S SIDE OF THE FIELD TO MINIMIZE NOISE OVER POPULATION AND BECAUSE OF TERRAIN AND HIGH FIELD ELEVATION (MORE THAN 6700 FT). BOTH ACFT WERE IN CONTINUOUS RADIO CONTACT WITH ALL POS RPTED. I ENTERED EXTENDED DOWNWIND L TFC RWY 26 (L35) SLOWING TO APPROX 100 KTS. THE PIPER (ACFT #2) WAS ALREADY MID-FIELD TRAVELING MUCH SLOWER (ESTIMATED 80 KTS). APPROX 1/2 MI BEYOND THE NUMBERS OF RWY 26, MY ACFT (#1) CAUGHT UP WITH ACFT #2 AND PASSED 100-200 YARDS OFF HIS R WING. ACFT #2 CONTINUED DOWNWIND AND SET UP FOR A LONG FINAL (A STUDENT WAS PRACTICING). ACFT #1 CONTINUED DOWNWIND UNTIL TERRAIN ROSE ON THE E, TURNED BASE AND FINAL, OVERFLEW THE ARPT AND RE-ENTERED FROM XWIND. THE SIT WAS HANDLED SMOOTHLY BY BOTH PLTS BUT THE SPACING WAS CLOSER THAN OPTIMAL. ON FURTHER THOUGHT I BELIEVE MY BEST COURSE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO CLB WELL ABOVE THE PATTERN AND OVERFLY, RE-ENTERING FROM XWIND, HAVING PASSED WELL ABOVE ACFT #2.

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.

Conflict between a C414 twin and a piper PA28 on a downwind leg to an uncontrolled airport when the reporter passed by the piper.