1995-03 · NASA ASRS report 299485
ACTUAL MID AIR COLLISION OVER UNCTLED ARPT. MINOR DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT AND NO INJURIES.
WITH PALM BEACH APCH CTLR - DSNDING FROM WSW OUT OF 2500 FT PLUS OR MINUS 10 MI OUT. 'GLIDER CIRCLING SW OF LANTANA AT 2000 FT' -- 'LOOKING.' 'DO YOU HAVE ARPT.' 'YES.' 'SQUAWK 1200.' 'I STILL DON'T HAVE GLIDER - CAN I STAY WITH YOU?' ATC; 'GLIDER IS CIRCLING 1 MI SW OF ARPT.' 'CAUTION; TFC IN PATTERN.' I TRANSFER TO UNICOM. GIVEN ACTIVE RWY 21. 'WILL CROSS; THE ARPT CTR AT 2000 FT TO ENTER DOWN FOR RWY 21.' (STILL HAVE NOT SEEN GLIDER; BUT HEARD WOMAN'S VOICE ON RADIO; SHE AND MALE PLT BOTH LOOKING FOR ME. I DSND; VEER TOWARD CROSS WIND LEG. ME: 'I AM DSNDING ON XING LEG.' AS I START TURN ONTO DOWNWIND AT PLUS OR MINUS 1200 FT I FEEL BUMP -- AS IF WHEELS STRUCK OBJECT. 'ARE YOU OK CHEROKEE?' SAYS WOMAN PLT OF GLIDER. 'YES - YOU LOOK FINE!' I TELL HER MY WHEEL STRUCK GLIDER CANOPY AND MY R WING GRAZED GLIDER R WING. BOTH ACFT LANDED WITH MINOR DAMAGE. BOTH PLTS WERE LOOKING -- 2 PLTS IN GLIDER. (3) I COULD NOT SEE GLIDER BENEATH ME TURNING ONTO DOWNWIND HERSELF (OR HIMSELF). I WAS NOT AWARE GLIDER WAS BELOW OR IN PATTERN. THEY DID NOT SEE ME. A TWR WOULD HAVE AVERTED THIS INCIDENT WHICH WAS CLOSE TO BEING A TRAGIC ACCIDENT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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