Narrative:

On a VFR training flight in a PA38 tomahawk, great WX. We had entered the pattern, done a touch and go, and remained in the pattern to a final. Since this was a training flight, I made sure that proper communication calls were made at the uncontrolled airport (T-65, weslaco-mid valley, tx). As we turned base to final both the student and I noticed a piper cub on the taxiway, about 1200-1500 ft from the run-up area for runway 13. Wind was 120 degrees at 10 KTS. We turned final. While on short final, about 300 ft or so AGL the cub passed us going in the opposite direction at the same altitude, about 100 yds on our port side. There was no communication at all from the cub, and I do not know if he had a radio or a hand-held, and one is not required for that airplane. That was the first time I saw him airborne. Had he gone to his left on takeoff there would certainly have been a midair as I did not have time to react, although I did launch a big expletive. It was a classic peripheral vision/blossom effect near miss. The airport is a good one, but due to generally light traffic some pilots tend to be lax. His mistakes are obvious: downwind takeoff on a taxiway, no communication, poor situational awareness, poor see/avoid procedures, a danger to others, and a candidate for the darwin award. My mistakes: I failed to watch him all the way. The good things I do: on the turn from downwind to base I teach the students to do a visual sweep, and again immediately prior to the turn from base to final. Specifically we look at the landing environment. We did see the taxiing airplane, but did not continue to visually track him to the run-up area. This incident disturbs me, but it particularly disturbs me that a student had to see an example of poor pilot discipline. I saw the airport manager and reported the incident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA38 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT HAD AN NMAC WITH A J-3 AT T65.

Narrative: ON A VFR TRAINING FLT IN A PA38 TOMAHAWK, GREAT WX. WE HAD ENTERED THE PATTERN, DONE A TOUCH AND GO, AND REMAINED IN THE PATTERN TO A FINAL. SINCE THIS WAS A TRAINING FLT, I MADE SURE THAT PROPER COM CALLS WERE MADE AT THE UNCTLED ARPT (T-65, WESLACO-MID VALLEY, TX). AS WE TURNED BASE TO FINAL BOTH THE STUDENT AND I NOTICED A PIPER CUB ON THE TXWY, ABOUT 1200-1500 FT FROM THE RUN-UP AREA FOR RWY 13. WIND WAS 120 DEGS AT 10 KTS. WE TURNED FINAL. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, ABOUT 300 FT OR SO AGL THE CUB PASSED US GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT THE SAME ALT, ABOUT 100 YDS ON OUR PORT SIDE. THERE WAS NO COM AT ALL FROM THE CUB, AND I DO NOT KNOW IF HE HAD A RADIO OR A HAND-HELD, AND ONE IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THAT AIRPLANE. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM AIRBORNE. HAD HE GONE TO HIS L ON TKOF THERE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN A MIDAIR AS I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO REACT, ALTHOUGH I DID LAUNCH A BIG EXPLETIVE. IT WAS A CLASSIC PERIPHERAL VISION/BLOSSOM EFFECT NEAR MISS. THE ARPT IS A GOOD ONE, BUT DUE TO GENERALLY LIGHT TFC SOME PLTS TEND TO BE LAX. HIS MISTAKES ARE OBVIOUS: DOWNWIND TKOF ON A TXWY, NO COM, POOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, POOR SEE/AVOID PROCS, A DANGER TO OTHERS, AND A CANDIDATE FOR THE DARWIN AWARD. MY MISTAKES: I FAILED TO WATCH HIM ALL THE WAY. THE GOOD THINGS I DO: ON THE TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE I TEACH THE STUDENTS TO DO A VISUAL SWEEP, AND AGAIN IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL. SPECIFICALLY WE LOOK AT THE LNDG ENVIRONMENT. WE DID SEE THE TAXIING AIRPLANE, BUT DID NOT CONTINUE TO VISUALLY TRACK HIM TO THE RUN-UP AREA. THIS INCIDENT DISTURBS ME, BUT IT PARTICULARLY DISTURBS ME THAT A STUDENT HAD TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF POOR PLT DISCIPLINE. I SAW THE ARPT MGR AND RPTED THE INCIDENT.

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.