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A C172 pilot, approaching hef, did a 360 degree turn to avoid a collision, when unable to contact tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 540029 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200203 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hef.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : hef.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : hef.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern approach : visual |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 620 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 540029 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 500 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were returning to the airport from the west after a training flight. After the initial call, the control tower directed us to report a 2 mi right base for runway 16L. When approaching the airport at approximately 3 mi, we spotted traffic that was converging on our course. The traffic was established on an extended downwind for runway 16R. Our flight path for the base leg for runway 16L crossed the extended downwind. The control tower frequency was congested with multiple targets inbound for landing. I was unable to call the tower (due to frequency congestion) for a 360 degree turn before the traffic conflict became too serious. I proceeded with a 360 degree turn to the left to avoid the collision course. After approximately 270 degrees of turn, the tower asked who was doing the 360 degrees. I responded with our call sign and reason for the maneuver. The tower responded with 'ask me next time before doing any 360's.' due to the frequency congestion, I was unable to call the tower before the situation became a collision. I took the action to avoid a collision, which I felt was going to occur with the present heading. After the 360 degrees, the approach and landing went without incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 PLT, APCHING HEF, DID A 360 DEG TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION, WHEN UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR.
Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING TO THE ARPT FROM THE W AFTER A TRAINING FLT. AFTER THE INITIAL CALL, THE CTL TWR DIRECTED US TO RPT A 2 MI R BASE FOR RWY 16L. WHEN APCHING THE ARPT AT APPROX 3 MI, WE SPOTTED TFC THAT WAS CONVERGING ON OUR COURSE. THE TFC WAS ESTABLISHED ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16R. OUR FLT PATH FOR THE BASE LEG FOR RWY 16L CROSSED THE EXTENDED DOWNWIND. THE CTL TWR FREQ WAS CONGESTED WITH MULTIPLE TARGETS INBOUND FOR LNDG. I WAS UNABLE TO CALL THE TWR (DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION) FOR A 360 DEG TURN BEFORE THE TFC CONFLICT BECAME TOO SERIOUS. I PROCEEDED WITH A 360 DEG TURN TO THE L TO AVOID THE COLLISION COURSE. AFTER APPROX 270 DEGS OF TURN, THE TWR ASKED WHO WAS DOING THE 360 DEGS. I RESPONDED WITH OUR CALL SIGN AND REASON FOR THE MANEUVER. THE TWR RESPONDED WITH 'ASK ME NEXT TIME BEFORE DOING ANY 360'S.' DUE TO THE FREQ CONGESTION, I WAS UNABLE TO CALL THE TWR BEFORE THE SIT BECAME A COLLISION. I TOOK THE ACTION TO AVOID A COLLISION, WHICH I FELT WAS GOING TO OCCUR WITH THE PRESENT HEADING. AFTER THE 360 DEGS, THE APCH AND LNDG WENT WITHOUT 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.