A C172 private pilot has an near midair collision with an AT6 in the traffic pattern at WI05, wi.

Attributes
ACN	441060
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : wi05.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Texan T6 Harvard
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	441060
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While flying, I became distraction when my passenger in right seat asked me a question about my GPS. I flew into the big foot pattern and immediately did a 180 degree turn out of pattern, but we were 300 ft horizontally away from an AT6 in downwind leg. Left the area and then went back in a downwind from a 45 degree, and landed at WI05. Although there was no comment or complaint, this near miss has given me concern. I will be spending time with a CFI reviewing my approach procedures. No accident occurred, but I have always thought of myself as a safe and concerned pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT HAS AN NMAC WITH AN AT6 IN THE TFC PATTERN AT WI05, WI.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING, I BECAME DISTR WHEN MY PAX IN R SEAT ASKED ME A QUESTION ABOUT MY GPS. I FLEW INTO THE BIG FOOT PATTERN AND IMMEDIATELY DID A 180 DEG TURN OUT OF PATTERN, BUT WE WERE 300 FT HORIZLY AWAY FROM AN AT6 IN DOWNWIND LEG. LEFT THE AREA AND THEN WENT BACK IN A DOWNWIND FROM A 45 DEG, AND LANDED AT WI05. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO COMMENT OR COMPLAINT, THIS NEAR MISS HAS GIVEN ME CONCERN. I WILL BE SPENDING TIME WITH A CFI REVIEWING MY APCH PROCS. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS A SAFE AND CONCERNED PLT.

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.