PA28 experiences near midair collision on short final with aircraft taking off opposite direction at...

Attributes
ACN	765637
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gpm.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 1 flight time total : 360 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	765367
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

After sunset the tower is closed. I had taken off on runway 35 (published for right traffic); announcing closed traffic. Sometime during flight in the pattern; I had hit a button on the radio and changed frequencys so that I was no longer announcing on CTAF. Winds calm. On short final on runway 35; about 300 ft AGL on GS with all navigation lights and landing light on (no strobes installed). At opposite end was a larger aircraft with wingtip and nose lighting. Aircraft turned onto runway and began accelerating. Applied full power; dropped a notch of flaps; got positive rate and sidestepped to the right; over the grass; and continued with procedures for go around. Problem caused by pilot(south) of larger aircraft turning onto runway without looking for traffic in pattern. Contributing factor: my having hit the frequency change button on my 'active' radio. It should be noted that runway 35 is the only runway with instrument approach -- aircraft on approach should be looked for as they may get a late change to CTAF by dfw approach. Further; given that this is the only runway with an approach; it would seem that it would be noted as the preferred calm wind runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 EXPERIENCES NMAC ON SHORT FINAL WITH ACFT TAKING OFF OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT NIGHT FROM AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER SUNSET THE TWR IS CLOSED. I HAD TAKEN OFF ON RWY 35 (PUBLISHED FOR R TFC); ANNOUNCING CLOSED TFC. SOMETIME DURING FLT IN THE PATTERN; I HAD HIT A BUTTON ON THE RADIO AND CHANGED FREQS SO THAT I WAS NO LONGER ANNOUNCING ON CTAF. WINDS CALM. ON SHORT FINAL ON RWY 35; ABOUT 300 FT AGL ON GS WITH ALL NAV LIGHTS AND LNDG LIGHT ON (NO STROBES INSTALLED). AT OPPOSITE END WAS A LARGER ACFT WITH WINGTIP AND NOSE LIGHTING. ACFT TURNED ONTO RWY AND BEGAN ACCELERATING. APPLIED FULL PWR; DROPPED A NOTCH OF FLAPS; GOT POSITIVE RATE AND SIDESTEPPED TO THE R; OVER THE GRASS; AND CONTINUED WITH PROCS FOR GAR. PROB CAUSED BY PLT(S) OF LARGER ACFT TURNING ONTO RWY WITHOUT LOOKING FOR TFC IN PATTERN. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: MY HAVING HIT THE FREQ CHANGE BUTTON ON MY 'ACTIVE' RADIO. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT RWY 35 IS THE ONLY RWY WITH INST APCH -- ACFT ON APCH SHOULD BE LOOKED FOR AS THEY MAY GET A LATE CHANGE TO CTAF BY DFW APCH. FURTHER; GIVEN THAT THIS IS THE ONLY RWY WITH AN APCH; IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT WOULD BE NOTED AS THE PREFERRED CALM WIND RWY.

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.

PA28 experiences near midair collision on short final with aircraft taking off opposite direction at night from an uncontrolled airport.