Taylorcraft back course-12D was buzzed by radio ctlred model aircraft at 0o4, corning, ca.

Attributes
ACN	487835
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 25 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 3010.5 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	487835
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical ground encounters other inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 20
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We landed at 0o4 on 00/10/sun at xa:00 in my student's taylorcraft. My student noticed a large group of remote control aircraft flying over the runway and down on the runway on the north end of the airport (we landed on runway 34R traffic). He was worried about the rc aircraft, and I assured him that the people were courteous, and they always clear the area for aircraft using the airport, I was mistaken. We announced our departure intentions to the other aircraft in the pattern and departed runway 34. As our tail came up, and we lifted off, I realized that the rc aircraft were not clearing the area; rather they were racing towards us. One passed close enough to see the exhaust misting from the engine. This model actually passed directly overhead and joined us in formation flight. Another red model flashed toward us from 2:00 low, and then broke off at the last min still another passed just below us from east to west. We held our course and our breath until they finished hassling us. We let the other aircraft in the pattern know of our experience. The young man flying the cessna 172 said he was local and would talk to them. We would have returned to discuss the event with the individuals, however, it would have been counterproductive at that moment. I have been a pilot for 20 yrs, and this was a rather worrisome moment for me. My student was, in the vernacular, 'freaked'. I find the enthusiasm of the individuals involved in the rc aircraft admirable. That enthusiasm must not get out of control, however. They must respect the hazard they pose to 'full scale aircraft' as they call us. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot knows of at least three other incidents where models have buzzed full size aircraft. The town council was notified as well as the sac FSDO. Both said that there was nothing they could do about the problem until an accident occurred. There is a joint use agreement allowing model flying at the airport. It clearly spells out where this activity is to take place. In this case the models were clearly outside their designated area of operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAYLORCRAFT BC-12D WAS BUZZED BY RADIO CTLRED MODEL ACFT AT 0O4, CORNING, CA.

Narrative: WE LANDED AT 0O4 ON 00/10/SUN AT XA:00 IN MY STUDENT'S TAYLORCRAFT. MY STUDENT NOTICED A LARGE GROUP OF REMOTE CTL ACFT FLYING OVER THE RWY AND DOWN ON THE RWY ON THE N END OF THE ARPT (WE LANDED ON RWY 34R TFC). HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE RC ACFT, AND I ASSURED HIM THAT THE PEOPLE WERE COURTEOUS, AND THEY ALWAYS CLEAR THE AREA FOR ACFT USING THE ARPT, I WAS MISTAKEN. WE ANNOUNCED OUR DEP INTENTIONS TO THE OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN AND DEPARTED RWY 34. AS OUR TAIL CAME UP, AND WE LIFTED OFF, I REALIZED THAT THE RC ACFT WERE NOT CLRING THE AREA; RATHER THEY WERE RACING TOWARDS US. ONE PASSED CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THE EXHAUST MISTING FROM THE ENG. THIS MODEL ACTUALLY PASSED DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AND JOINED US IN FORMATION FLT. ANOTHER RED MODEL FLASHED TOWARD US FROM 2:00 LOW, AND THEN BROKE OFF AT THE LAST MIN STILL ANOTHER PASSED JUST BELOW US FROM E TO W. WE HELD OUR COURSE AND OUR BREATH UNTIL THEY FINISHED HASSLING US. WE LET THE OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN KNOW OF OUR EXPERIENCE. THE YOUNG MAN FLYING THE CESSNA 172 SAID HE WAS LCL AND WOULD TALK TO THEM. WE WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO DISCUSS THE EVENT WITH THE INDIVIDUALS, HOWEVER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AT THAT MOMENT. I HAVE BEEN A PILOT FOR 20 YRS, AND THIS WAS A RATHER WORRISOME MOMENT FOR ME. MY STUDENT WAS, IN THE VERNACULAR, 'FREAKED'. I FIND THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE RC ACFT ADMIRABLE. THAT ENTHUSIASM MUST NOT GET OUT OF CTL, HOWEVER. THEY MUST RESPECT THE HAZARD THEY POSE TO 'FULL SCALE ACFT' AS THEY CALL US. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT KNOWS OF AT LEAST THREE OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE MODELS HAVE BUZZED FULL SIZE ACFT. THE TOWN COUNCIL WAS NOTIFIED AS WELL AS THE SAC FSDO. BOTH SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THERE IS A JOINT USE AGREEMENT ALLOWING MODEL FLYING AT THE ARPT. IT CLRLY SPELLS OUT WHERE THIS ACTIVITY IS TO TAKE PLACE. IN THIS CASE THE MODELS WERE CLRLY OUTSIDE THEIR DESIGNATED AREA OF OP.

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.