Narrative:

Our aircraft had departed 4t6 and we were returning to dal. We announced our departure and turned left for a downwind departure to runway 18. We announced on CTAF our left downwind and remained at pattern altitude. At about midfield I looked up and saw a bonanza in a left descending turn, about 50 ft to our 10 O'clock position. We turned slightly to the east to avoid the bonanza. The bonanza was entering a left downwind to land. He had approached from the west, flew over the center of the field and turned left, while descending to enter the left downwind. The first call we heard was him calling the left downwind. We continued to the north and departed the airspace. I question the safety of flying over the center of the airfield and then entering the pattern. Pilots should fly to the intended point of entry and call position per the aim. When I fly the large twins, I will fly 500 ft higher than the normal pattern. I am afraid some day that a cessna or piper will fly right into me flying over the center of the field. In my opinion 'this is dangerous.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE DEPARTING 4T6 ARPT, C172 MAKES EVASIVE MANEUVER TO MISS BE35 ENTERING XWIND AT MIDFIELD.

Narrative: OUR ACFT HAD DEPARTED 4T6 AND WE WERE RETURNING TO DAL. WE ANNOUNCED OUR DEP AND TURNED L FOR A DOWNWIND DEP TO RWY 18. WE ANNOUNCED ON CTAF OUR L DOWNWIND AND REMAINED AT PATTERN ALT. AT ABOUT MIDFIELD I LOOKED UP AND SAW A BONANZA IN A L DSNDING TURN, ABOUT 50 FT TO OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. WE TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE E TO AVOID THE BONANZA. THE BONANZA WAS ENTERING A L DOWNWIND TO LAND. HE HAD APCHED FROM THE W, FLEW OVER THE CTR OF THE FIELD AND TURNED L, WHILE DSNDING TO ENTER THE L DOWNWIND. THE FIRST CALL WE HEARD WAS HIM CALLING THE L DOWNWIND. WE CONTINUED TO THE N AND DEPARTED THE AIRSPACE. I QUESTION THE SAFETY OF FLYING OVER THE CTR OF THE AIRFIELD AND THEN ENTERING THE PATTERN. PLTS SHOULD FLY TO THE INTENDED POINT OF ENTRY AND CALL POS PER THE AIM. WHEN I FLY THE LARGE TWINS, I WILL FLY 500 FT HIGHER THAN THE NORMAL PATTERN. I AM AFRAID SOME DAY THAT A CESSNA OR PIPER WILL FLY RIGHT INTO ME FLYING OVER THE CTR OF THE FIELD. IN MY OPINION 'THIS IS DANGEROUS.'

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.