C172 involved in near midair collision while in traffic pattern at uncontrolled airport.

Attributes
ACN	762490
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzzz.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
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 211 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	762490
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I initiated an approach to land on runway 26. I announced my position over the CTAF as being 5 mi east of the field at 2000 ft MSL. No other traffic was reported in the vicinity. I extended the approach 1 mi due south of the airfield and descended to 1500 ft MSL; and announced my position and intention to enter the pattern on a 45 degree angle for the downwind leg of runway 26. Roughly 1/2 mi south of the field I entered the pattern midfield at the appropriate altitude and announced my position as being downwind for runway 26. No other traffic was reported and a visual was taken to locate any other aircraft in the direct vicinity. When position 1 mi beyond the runway threshold I turned left base for runway 26. Upon rollout; I applied 20 degrees flaps and continued the descent to 500 ft AGL; then prepared to announce my position. At that moment another aircraft announced that they were turning on the base leg for runway 26 for a simulated engine failure landing. I announced my position and scanned the area for the other airplane. The other aircraft appeared less than 200 ft vertical distance and 50 ft vertical distance to my position; descending at a fast rate. Upon sighting the plane I took evasive action to avoid a possible midair collision. Although I was at a lower altitude with the right-of-way; I aborted the landing and climbed out of the pattern to a safer altitude away from the field. I announced my intentions; at which point the other aircraft responded that they appreciated my cooperation so they could quickly land and finish the student's check ride. It then became apparent to me that a designated FAA examiner was onboard the other aircraft. After returning to the field I approached the student of the other plane and asked if either he or his examiner had heard my radio xmissions and had established a visual. The student implied that he told the examiner that another aircraft was in the pattern and technically had the right-of-way; but that if it were an actual emergency they would then have the right-of-way and could take priority over the other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INVOLVED IN NMAC WHILE IN TFC PATTERN AT UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: I INITIATED AN APCH TO LAND ON RWY 26. I ANNOUNCED MY POS OVER THE CTAF AS BEING 5 MI E OF THE FIELD AT 2000 FT MSL. NO OTHER TFC WAS REPORTED IN THE VICINITY. I EXTENDED THE APCH 1 MI DUE S OF THE AIRFIELD AND DSNDED TO 1500 FT MSL; AND ANNOUNCED MY POS AND INTENTION TO ENTER THE PATTERN ON A 45 DEG ANGLE FOR THE DOWNWIND LEG OF RWY 26. ROUGHLY 1/2 MI S OF THE FIELD I ENTERED THE PATTERN MIDFIELD AT THE APPROPRIATE ALT AND ANNOUNCED MY POS AS BEING DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26. NO OTHER TFC WAS REPORTED AND A VISUAL WAS TAKEN TO LOCATE ANY OTHER ACFT IN THE DIRECT VICINITY. WHEN POS 1 MI BEYOND THE RWY THRESHOLD I TURNED L BASE FOR RWY 26. UPON ROLLOUT; I APPLIED 20 DEGS FLAPS AND CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO 500 FT AGL; THEN PREPARED TO ANNOUNCE MY POS. AT THAT MOMENT ANOTHER ACFT ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE TURNING ON THE BASE LEG FOR RWY 26 FOR A SIMULATED ENG FAILURE LNDG. I ANNOUNCED MY POS AND SCANNED THE AREA FOR THE OTHER AIRPLANE. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED LESS THAN 200 FT VERT DISTANCE AND 50 FT VERT DISTANCE TO MY POS; DSNDING AT A FAST RATE. UPON SIGHTING THE PLANE I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION. ALTHOUGH I WAS AT A LOWER ALT WITH THE RIGHT-OF-WAY; I ABORTED THE LNDG AND CLBED OUT OF THE PATTERN TO A SAFER ALT AWAY FROM THE FIELD. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS; AT WHICH POINT THE OTHER ACFT RESPONDED THAT THEY APPRECIATED MY COOPERATION SO THEY COULD QUICKLY LAND AND FINISH THE STUDENT'S CHK RIDE. IT THEN BECAME APPARENT TO ME THAT A DESIGNATED FAA EXAMINER WAS ONBOARD THE OTHER ACFT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE FIELD I APCHED THE STUDENT OF THE OTHER PLANE AND ASKED IF EITHER HE OR HIS EXAMINER HAD HEARD MY RADIO XMISSIONS AND HAD ESTABLISHED A VISUAL. THE STUDENT IMPLIED THAT HE TOLD THE EXAMINER THAT ANOTHER ACFT WAS IN THE PATTERN AND TECHNICALLY HAD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY; BUT THAT IF IT WERE AN ACTUAL EMER THEY WOULD THEN HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND COULD TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE OTHER ACFT.

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.