BE76 instructor and student experience near midair collision with aircraft in pattern at coi.

Attributes
ACN	798434
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : coi.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Duchess 76
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout other
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 3
ASRS Report	798434
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We were level on downwind for runway 11 at merritt island; fl; when we saw the aircraft on a 45 degree entry over blue water tanks used as the standard entry point for merritt island (coi); about 2.5 mi out. The aircraft appeared to be about 1500 ft. We continued downwind and the aircraft turned downwind ahead of us and about 500 ft above us. He was traveling faster and appeared to be no factor; but we turned slightly to ensure clearance. Unfortunately; it wasn't enough to avoid the close call. The aircraft #2 suddenly slowed and descended rapidly; we were very close but missed. A possible contributing factor may have been an intermittent push to talk switch on my aircraft. Although we were making the appropriate calls; I noticed later that the radio didn't always transmit when the button was pushed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE76 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXPERIENCE NMAC WITH ACFT IN PATTERN AT COI.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 11 AT MERRITT ISLAND; FL; WHEN WE SAW THE ACFT ON A 45 DEG ENTRY OVER BLUE WATER TANKS USED AS THE STANDARD ENTRY POINT FOR MERRITT ISLAND (COI); ABOUT 2.5 MI OUT. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 1500 FT. WE CONTINUED DOWNWIND AND THE ACFT TURNED DOWNWIND AHEAD OF US AND ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE US. HE WAS TRAVELING FASTER AND APPEARED TO BE NO FACTOR; BUT WE TURNED SLIGHTLY TO ENSURE CLRNC. UNFORTUNATELY; IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO AVOID THE CLOSE CALL. THE ACFT #2 SUDDENLY SLOWED AND DSNDED RAPIDLY; WE WERE VERY CLOSE BUT MISSED. A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MAY HAVE BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PUSH TO TALK SWITCH ON MY ACFT. ALTHOUGH WE WERE MAKING THE APPROPRIATE CALLS; I NOTICED LATER THAT THE RADIO DIDN'T ALWAYS XMIT WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.