A C172 pilot, making tough and go's at cdw, turned in front of an aircraft on downwind.

Attributes
ACN	543283
Time
Date	200203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	543283
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was training for my CFI by doing touch and go closed traffic from the right seat. I had completed two patterns and was in closed right traffic for the active runway. On the third touch and go, for which I was cleared, I touched down, added power and took off. During climb out, I was given no conflicting traffic information or tower directives to maintain runway heading beyond normal traffic pattern. I made a turn crosswind and then back to downwind. After being in downwind, midfield, another plane radioed the tower they were now #2 in the pattern because 'another plane had just cut in front of them.' cdw tower asked for the plane to identify themselves and I responded with my tail number. Apparently the conflicting traffic had entered downwind on an extended line (instead of the 45 degree midfield entry) and my turn from crosswind to downwind cut in front of him ( I did not see traffic prior to my turn). Tower was upset, so I departure the area to not inflame the situation. I believe I was legal. I was on a touch and go clearance for closed traffic which means I should depart and turn right traffic. The other plane should have come into the pattern of a 45 degree angle and cdw tower should have given a traffic alert since he had obviously given the conflicting traffic clearance to operate in the class D area and was in communication with both planes. Nevertheless, I will endeavor to be more vigilant before turning downwind to look out for planes coming in on non-standard patterns.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT, MAKING TOUGH AND GO'S AT CDW, TURNED IN FRONT OF AN ACFT ON DOWNWIND.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING FOR MY CFI BY DOING TOUCH AND GO CLOSED TFC FROM THE R SEAT. I HAD COMPLETED TWO PATTERNS AND WAS IN CLOSED R TFC FOR THE ACTIVE RWY. ON THE THIRD TOUCH AND GO, FOR WHICH I WAS CLRED, I TOUCHED DOWN, ADDED PWR AND TOOK OFF. DURING CLIMB OUT, I WAS GIVEN NO CONFLICTING TFC INFORMATION OR TWR DIRECTIVES TO MAINTAIN RWY HEADING BEYOND NORMAL TFC PATTERN. I MADE A TURN CROSSWIND AND THEN BACK TO DOWNWIND. AFTER BEING IN DOWNWIND, MIDFIELD, ANOTHER PLANE RADIOED THE TWR THEY WERE NOW #2 IN THE PATTERN BECAUSE 'ANOTHER PLANE HAD JUST CUT IN FRONT OF THEM.' CDW TWR ASKED FOR THE PLANE TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND I RESPONDED WITH MY TAIL NUMBER. APPARENTLY THE CONFLICTING TFC HAD ENTERED DOWNWIND ON AN EXTENDED LINE (INSTEAD OF THE 45 DEG MIDFIELD ENTRY) AND MY TURN FROM CROSSWIND TO DOWNWIND CUT IN FRONT OF HIM ( I DID NOT SEE TFC PRIOR TO MY TURN). TWR WAS UPSET, SO I DEP THE AREA TO NOT INFLAME THE SIT. I BELIEVE I WAS LEGAL. I WAS ON A TOUCH AND GO CLRNC FOR CLOSED TFC WHICH MEANS I SHOULD DEPART AND TURN R TFC. THE OTHER PLANE SHOULD HAVE COME INTO THE PATTERN OF A 45 DEG ANGLE AND CDW TWR SHOULD HAVE GIVEN A TFC ALERT SINCE HE HAD OBVIOUSLY GIVEN THE CONFLICTING TFC CLRNC TO OPERATE IN THE CLASS D AREA AND WAS IN COM WITH BOTH PLANES. NEVERTHELESS, I WILL ENDEAVOR TO BE MORE VIGILANT BEFORE TURNING DOWNWIND TO LOOK OUT FOR PLANES COMING IN ON NON-STANDARD PATTERNS.

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.