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A mooney pilot turned too soon while departing the traffic pattern. He had been instructed to follow a cessna that was turning a long downwind.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 399140 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199804 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mtn |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mtn |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 399140 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Departing baltimore martin state on apr/xa/98, holding short of runway 33 for departure, a cessna touched down and performed a touch-and-go. Tower then cleared us for takeoff with this clearance, 'follow the cessna, left downwind departure approved, cleared for takeoff.' after takeoff, we kept the cessna in sight and when it turned outbound -- or appeared to -- we turned into the left downwind. Lateral separation was more than 1 mi and diverging at all times. Tower controller said, 'I told you to follow the cessna.' we reported the cessna in sight and assumed it was departing the pattern, however, it had merely turned on to a very long crosswind leg. In retrospect, the clearance is crystal clear, but it wasn't at the time. We didn't put 2 and 2 together that the cessna was remaining in the pattern. Should have. Brain fade.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A MOONEY PLT TURNED TOO SOON WHILE DEPARTING THE TFC PATTERN. HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW A CESSNA THAT WAS TURNING A LONG DOWNWIND.
Narrative: DEPARTING BALTIMORE MARTIN STATE ON APR/XA/98, HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 33 FOR DEP, A CESSNA TOUCHED DOWN AND PERFORMED A TOUCH-AND-GO. TWR THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF WITH THIS CLRNC, 'FOLLOW THE CESSNA, L DOWNWIND DEP APPROVED, CLRED FOR TKOF.' AFTER TKOF, WE KEPT THE CESSNA IN SIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED OUTBOUND -- OR APPEARED TO -- WE TURNED INTO THE L DOWNWIND. LATERAL SEPARATION WAS MORE THAN 1 MI AND DIVERGING AT ALL TIMES. TWR CTLR SAID, 'I TOLD YOU TO FOLLOW THE CESSNA.' WE RPTED THE CESSNA IN SIGHT AND ASSUMED IT WAS DEPARTING THE PATTERN, HOWEVER, IT HAD MERELY TURNED ON TO A VERY LONG XWIND LEG. IN RETROSPECT, THE CLRNC IS CRYSTAL CLR, BUT IT WASN'T AT THE TIME. WE DIDN'T PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER THAT THE CESSNA WAS REMAINING IN THE PATTERN. SHOULD HAVE. BRAIN FADE.
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.