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An inexperienced be-58TC pilot's failure to realize a low battery had caused his VHF communications radio to revert to a default frequency vice the airport's unicom resulted in a close encounter with an aircraft taking off on the runway as he back taxied for takeoff.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 915354 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201010 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | BTF.Airport |
| State Reference | UT |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Baron 58/58TC |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Taxi |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | Takeoff |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Air/Ground Communication |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60 Flight Crew Total 5500 Flight Crew Type 1 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Conflict Ground Conflict Critical Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Ground Incursion Runway |
| Miss Distance | Vertical 150 |
Narrative:
This was the first flight in a newly purchased aircraft. The battery in the avionics device was low; so frequencies were reset at start up; hence the expected unicom frequency was not selected. After calling to advise of my intent to back-taxi; and hearing no response; I took the runway. Unbeknown to myself; an aircraft that I did not see had begun his takeoff roll from the opposite direction (behind me as I was back-taxiing). He cleared my aircraft by 150 ft vertically; at which point I taxied clear of the runway and discovered what had happened with the radios. Obviously in a new aircraft; more time needs to be spent to check everything twice. Also; at an unfamiliar airport; extra vigilance needs to be exercised with regard to lookout doctrine.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: An inexperienced BE-58TC pilot's failure to realize a low battery had caused his VHF communications radio to revert to a default frequency vice the airport's UNICOM resulted in a close encounter with an aircraft taking off on the runway as he back taxied for takeoff.
Narrative: This was the first flight in a newly purchased aircraft. The battery in the avionics device was low; so frequencies were reset at start up; hence the expected UNICOM frequency was not selected. After calling to advise of my intent to back-taxi; and hearing no response; I took the runway. Unbeknown to myself; an aircraft that I did not see had begun his takeoff roll from the opposite direction (behind me as I was back-taxiing). He cleared my aircraft by 150 FT vertically; at which point I taxied clear of the runway and discovered what had happened with the radios. Obviously in a new aircraft; more time needs to be spent to check everything twice. Also; at an unfamiliar airport; extra vigilance needs to be exercised with regard to lookout doctrine.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.