Narrative:

I was doing touch-and-go wheel lndgs from power-off approachs to the runway. I normally have a handheld VHF radio; but this day it was left behind to charge the battery. The piper J3 cub does not have an electrical system. Runway 33 has a right traffic pattern. On my second circuit around the pattern on short final; I heard the power up of another aircraft engine. (The doors and windows of the cub were open and my engine was at idle; very easy to hear outside the aircraft). As I turned and looked to my left about 45 degrees behind my left shoulder I saw a C172 turning to the left and going around. He was very close. I turned right and went around. I was at 100 ft AGL and 65 mph. He was about the same altitude; but faster; and passed me as he flew down the left side of the runway. I flew down the right side. I stayed in the traffic pattern; he made a left turn out to the west and I did not see him return to the airport. I had searched the traffic pattern for traffic but did not see any other aircraft except for a cessna waiting to take off. I never saw the conflict aircraft until I heard his engine power up. I assume he either made a straight-in or left downwind pattern. I cannot explain why I did not see him as I was extra vigilant (since I did not have a radio). I assume he did not see me either and I believe there were at least 2 people in the other aircraft. I would recommend pilots fly the published VFR patterns for uncontrolled airports; sometimes it becomes a free for all at these airports. If everyone flies the same pattern; it would help in seeing traffic. I can only assume he did not fly the published pattern since no one on the ground saw him either -- including an FAA maintenance man who was working on the VASI.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A J3 PLT AT DAW EXPERIENCED NEAR MISS WITH A C172. THE J3 PLT DID NOT HAVE A RADIO AT THIS CTAF ARPT AND DID NOT SIGHT THE ACFT VISUALLY UNTIL AFTER A GAR.

Narrative: I WAS DOING TOUCH-AND-GO WHEEL LNDGS FROM PWR-OFF APCHS TO THE RWY. I NORMALLY HAVE A HANDHELD VHF RADIO; BUT THIS DAY IT WAS LEFT BEHIND TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. THE PIPER J3 CUB DOES NOT HAVE AN ELECTRICAL SYS. RWY 33 HAS A R TFC PATTERN. ON MY SECOND CIRCUIT AROUND THE PATTERN ON SHORT FINAL; I HEARD THE PWR UP OF ANOTHER ACFT ENG. (THE DOORS AND WINDOWS OF THE CUB WERE OPEN AND MY ENG WAS AT IDLE; VERY EASY TO HEAR OUTSIDE THE ACFT). AS I TURNED AND LOOKED TO MY L ABOUT 45 DEGS BEHIND MY L SHOULDER I SAW A C172 TURNING TO THE L AND GOING AROUND. HE WAS VERY CLOSE. I TURNED R AND WENT AROUND. I WAS AT 100 FT AGL AND 65 MPH. HE WAS ABOUT THE SAME ALT; BUT FASTER; AND PASSED ME AS HE FLEW DOWN THE L SIDE OF THE RWY. I FLEW DOWN THE R SIDE. I STAYED IN THE TFC PATTERN; HE MADE A L TURN OUT TO THE W AND I DID NOT SEE HIM RETURN TO THE ARPT. I HAD SEARCHED THE TFC PATTERN FOR TFC BUT DID NOT SEE ANY OTHER ACFT EXCEPT FOR A CESSNA WAITING TO TAKE OFF. I NEVER SAW THE CONFLICT ACFT UNTIL I HEARD HIS ENG PWR UP. I ASSUME HE EITHER MADE A STRAIGHT-IN OR L DOWNWIND PATTERN. I CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY I DID NOT SEE HIM AS I WAS EXTRA VIGILANT (SINCE I DID NOT HAVE A RADIO). I ASSUME HE DID NOT SEE ME EITHER AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE AT LEAST 2 PEOPLE IN THE OTHER ACFT. I WOULD RECOMMEND PLTS FLY THE PUBLISHED VFR PATTERNS FOR UNCTLED ARPTS; SOMETIMES IT BECOMES A FREE FOR ALL AT THESE ARPTS. IF EVERYONE FLIES THE SAME PATTERN; IT WOULD HELP IN SEEING TFC. I CAN ONLY ASSUME HE DID NOT FLY THE PUBLISHED PATTERN SINCE NO ONE ON THE GND SAW HIM EITHER -- INCLUDING AN FAA MAINT MAN WHO WAS WORKING ON THE VASI.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.