Narrative:

Both aircraft were carrying 2 pilots and 2 instructors; I believe. We were approaching runway 2 about 2 mi north of the field; and when adjacent to the takeoff end of runway 2; we began a turn to enter a right downwind. When we rolled out on downwind at pattern altitude; and about to call midfield; we saw an aircraft at our 2 O'clock position at our altitude also on downwind. We called tower and asked where he came from and permission to make a 360 degree for spacing. The aircraft were flying parallel at the time at the same speed; so evasive action wasn't necessary. I frankly don't know if I missed a call to or from the tower; or if the other aircraft was flying a non-standard pattern; or if the other aircraft didn't make a call; or if I should have turned later. The other aircraft gave no indication that he ever saw us. When we were approaching each other while entering downwind; we were in a left turn; while he was in a climbing right turn after a takeoff; so our turn might have blocked our vision of him. From a human factors standpoint; we were just finishing a successful and enjoyable annual check ride; with the instructor requesting a power off approach and landing from the base turn entry. We were both discussing the procedure; and watching an aircraft ahead of us that tower had alerted us to. Although we were somewhat distraction; we did clear downwind before turning; and there were no aircraft that we saw; nor did the controller say anything that we heard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAS AN NMAC ENTERING THE TFC PATTERN AT HFD.

Narrative: BOTH ACFT WERE CARRYING 2 PLTS AND 2 INSTRUCTORS; I BELIEVE. WE WERE APCHING RWY 2 ABOUT 2 MI N OF THE FIELD; AND WHEN ADJACENT TO THE TKOF END OF RWY 2; WE BEGAN A TURN TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND. WHEN WE ROLLED OUT ON DOWNWIND AT PATTERN ALT; AND ABOUT TO CALL MIDFIELD; WE SAW AN ACFT AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS AT OUR ALT ALSO ON DOWNWIND. WE CALLED TWR AND ASKED WHERE HE CAME FROM AND PERMISSION TO MAKE A 360 DEG FOR SPACING. THE ACFT WERE FLYING PARALLEL AT THE TIME AT THE SAME SPD; SO EVASIVE ACTION WASN'T NECESSARY. I FRANKLY DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED A CALL TO OR FROM THE TWR; OR IF THE OTHER ACFT WAS FLYING A NON-STANDARD PATTERN; OR IF THE OTHER ACFT DIDN'T MAKE A CALL; OR IF I SHOULD HAVE TURNED LATER. THE OTHER ACFT GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE EVER SAW US. WHEN WE WERE APCHING EACH OTHER WHILE ENTERING DOWNWIND; WE WERE IN A L TURN; WHILE HE WAS IN A CLBING R TURN AFTER A TKOF; SO OUR TURN MIGHT HAVE BLOCKED OUR VISION OF HIM. FROM A HUMAN FACTORS STANDPOINT; WE WERE JUST FINISHING A SUCCESSFUL AND ENJOYABLE ANNUAL CHK RIDE; WITH THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTING A PWR OFF APCH AND LNDG FROM THE BASE TURN ENTRY. WE WERE BOTH DISCUSSING THE PROC; AND WATCHING AN ACFT AHEAD OF US THAT TWR HAD ALERTED US TO. ALTHOUGH WE WERE SOMEWHAT DISTR; WE DID CLR DOWNWIND BEFORE TURNING; AND THERE WERE NO ACFT THAT WE SAW; NOR DID THE CTLR SAY ANYTHING THAT WE HEARD.

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.