Playing chicken on the base leg!

ScottK

ScottK

Pre-takeoff checklist
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ScottK
A friend from our club was going out to take advantage of the perfect wx we had today. I rode along since I hadn't been up in quite awhile. The 40nm trip out was uneventful. Actually, it was surprisingly quiet given the good conditions.

The trip back was really quick with about a 25kt direct tailwind.

The story starts as we approach the home airport. We are approaching from the WSW and will be entering right traffic (standard at this Class D airport) for 23. A Commander was about 2 miles to the north heading to the same airport. As we entered the Class D, another plane checked in from the South. Tower had them fly a left downwind for 23. It just set up better for them.

Anyway, the Commander passed us easily and went in on a right base and was #1 to land. We entered the right downwind and were #2 to land. The third plane had entered the left downwind and was a bit behind us. Tower told him he was #3 to land following us. We had him in site, and he said he had us in site. As we turn right base, we lose him in the ridge line next to the airport(right at dusk). Apparently, he lost us as well, or he thought the first plane landing was us. He turned left base directly at us. My friend saw him and made an aggressive right turn to final. He went by us inside a 1/4 mile. The Tower must've seen him turn because they asked if he had us in site. Obviously, he did now.

Stranger still, he made a right 270 to come back to the runway. He must've had his speed up, because he still caught us and had to do a go around as we were rolling out.

I think I know the guy and hope to get a chance to discuss this with him when I see him again. I'd love to know what he was looking at or what happened up there.

For those students that train at a towered airport, don't assume that Tower directing traffic means everyone is where they are supposed to be. Keep your head up and eyes open. This airport doesn't have radar, so it's still primarily see and avoid. Fortunately, today we did both.
 
Good lesson. Not too much different except for the result from the 1978 disaster at San Diego involving a 727 which lost sight of and then ran over a 172 in the traffic pattern with both aircraft under tower control. In the last cockpit conversation in the 727, the first officer asked, "Are we clear of that Cessna?" The flight engineer said, "Suppose to be"; the captain said, "I guess"; and the forward jumpseat occupant said, "I hope." The only one who was right was the jumpseat occupant. As you point out, you just can't assume tower has it all sorted so you don't have to keep scanning.
 
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Just remember, the tower's responsibility is to separate traffic at/on the runway. Not the approach/pattern to the runway.
 
Somebody was flying HUA....... Did you find out who it was and what their beef was?
 
It's easy in a crowded pattern for someone to think he has his traffic while actually looking at the wrong airplane. That's one of the reasons that when we had the Maule I used to always announce Yellow Maule Nine Alfa Whiskey because that extra little bit of info can help out at times like this.
 
If I am 3 or above I always call tower when I see the aircraft that I'm to be following land just to be double sure I am indeed next.
Granted our airport isn't that busy, I've only had to do this a handful of times, but it's easier to say 'sorry for making sure' instead of 'sorry I/he didn't see him/me' to an NTSB guy.
 
ScottK said:
Tower told him he was #3 to land following us. We had him in [sight], and he said he had us in [sight]. As we turn right base, we lose him in the ridge line next to the airport(right at dusk). Apparently, he lost us as well, or he thought the first plane landing was us. He turned left base directly at us. My friend saw him and made an aggressive right turn to final. He went by us inside a 1/4 mile.
Click to expand...

Yikes. If I found that the plane that's supposed to follow me is instead approaching me head-on on the opposite base, I wouldn't make an aggressive turn to final just ahead of them. Turning final is presumably what they're about to do too, if they still don't see me.

Instead, I'd make an immediate climbing turn to the right and announce the go-around and the traffic conflict.
 
acrophile said:
Yikes. If I found that the plane that's supposed to follow me is instead approaching me head-on on the opposite base, I wouldn't make an aggressive turn to final just ahead of them. Turning final is presumably what they're about to do too, if they still don't see me.

Instead, I'd make an immediate climbing turn to the right and announce the go-around and the traffic conflict.
Click to expand...

The pilot picked him up earlier than i did. I didnt ask him about that decision, but I will. With thw benefit of hindsight, what you're saying certainly makes sense.
 
ScottK said:
A friend from our club was going out to take advantage of the perfect wx we had today. I rode along since I hadn't been up in quite awhile. The 40nm trip out was uneventful. Actually, it was surprisingly quiet given the good conditions.

The trip back was really quick with about a 25kt direct tailwind.

The story starts as we approach the home airport. We are approaching from the WSW and will be entering right traffic (standard at this Class D airport) for 23. A Commander was about 2 miles to the north heading to the same airport. As we entered the Class D, another plane checked in from the South. Tower had them fly a left downwind for 23. It just set up better for them.

Anyway, the Commander passed us easily and went in on a right base and was #1 to land. We entered the right downwind and were #2 to land. The third plane had entered the left downwind and was a bit behind us. Tower told him he was #3 to land following us. We had him in site, and he said he had us in site. As we turn right base, we lose him in the ridge line next to the airport(right at dusk). Apparently, he lost us as well, or he thought the first plane landing was us. He turned left base directly at us. My friend saw him and made an aggressive right turn to final. He went by us inside a 1/4 mile. The Tower must've seen him turn because they asked if he had us in site. Obviously, he did now.

Stranger still, he made a right 270 to come back to the runway. He must've had his speed up, because he still caught us and had to do a go around as we were rolling out.

I think I know the guy and hope to get a chance to discuss this with him when I see him again. I'd love to know what he was looking at or what happened up there.

For those students that train at a towered airport, don't assume that Tower directing traffic means everyone is where they are supposed to be. Keep your head up and eyes open. This airport doesn't have radar, so it's still primarily see and avoid. Fortunately, today we did both.
Click to expand...


Even in airports with radar, I have been on a left downwind for 9, and the tower clears a take off from 5, soon we are looking at each other, him climbing and I descending, both of us have to take evasive action.

Cheers
 
ScottK said:
The pilot picked him up earlier than i did. I didnt ask him about that decision, but I will. With thw benefit of hindsight, what you're saying certainly makes sense.
Click to expand...

Cool. I'd be interested to hear his rationale.
 
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