C310 pilot and examiner avoided what they perceived as conflicting traffic while in local pattern.

Attributes
ACN	431902
Time
Date	199903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	military facility : suu.milfac tower : smf.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 655 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	431902
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : flc 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was finishing my check ride as an examinee, when the examiner took the controls and told me that he would like to show me a stop and go. During this exchange, the examiner was in control of the airplane, and decided to turn the radios off while in the pattern. Meanwhile, he turned downwind, and I made the radio calls. He was explaining to me engine out procedures, so I became involved with what he was telling me. We made our turn on our base leg, and when we rolled wings level, we saw a kc-10 on final. My examiner immediately altered course to the left and dove. The kc-10 was forced to do a go around and we then left the scene. What I learned from this experience is that no matter who is in the other seat, and regardless of what they are doing, I must not become so involved as to not notice other aircraft. If I could, I would like to tell the gentleman in the kc-10 that I was sorry, and that even though I was not in control of the airplane, I must pay better attention. One more note: the kc-10 is a rather large airplane and I may have thought that we were closer than we were. My judgement may have been off because of the sudden surprise!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C310 PLT AND EXAMINER AVOIDED WHAT THEY PERCEIVED AS CONFLICTING TFC WHILE IN LCL PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS FINISHING MY CHK RIDE AS AN EXAMINEE, WHEN THE EXAMINER TOOK THE CTLS AND TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW ME A STOP AND GO. DURING THIS EXCHANGE, THE EXAMINER WAS IN CTL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND DECIDED TO TURN THE RADIOS OFF WHILE IN THE PATTERN. MEANWHILE, HE TURNED DOWNWIND, AND I MADE THE RADIO CALLS. HE WAS EXPLAINING TO ME ENG OUT PROCS, SO I BECAME INVOLVED WITH WHAT HE WAS TELLING ME. WE MADE OUR TURN ON OUR BASE LEG, AND WHEN WE ROLLED WINGS LEVEL, WE SAW A KC-10 ON FINAL. MY EXAMINER IMMEDIATELY ALTERED COURSE TO THE L AND DOVE. THE KC-10 WAS FORCED TO DO A GAR AND WE THEN LEFT THE SCENE. WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT NO MATTER WHO IS IN THE OTHER SEAT, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING, I MUST NOT BECOME SO INVOLVED AS TO NOT NOTICE OTHER ACFT. IF I COULD, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE GENTLEMAN IN THE KC-10 THAT I WAS SORRY, AND THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT IN CTL OF THE AIRPLANE, I MUST PAY BETTER ATTN. ONE MORE NOTE: THE KC-10 IS A RATHER LARGE AIRPLANE AND I MAY HAVE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE CLOSER THAN WE WERE. MY JUDGEMENT MAY HAVE BEEN OFF BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN SURPRISE!

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.