PLT OF A PIPER; PA28; WARRIOR; TOOK OFF FROM AN UNCTLED ARPT WHEN ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON FINAL. THE RPTR BELIEVED THAT THE ACFT PLT ON FINAL HAD GIVEN HIM THE GO AHEAD WHEN IT WAS REALLY ANOTHER PLT OF A PIPER PA28-180; THAT WAS WAITING FOR TKOF.
Synopsis
PLT OF A PIPER; PA28; WARRIOR; TOOK OFF FROM AN UNCTLED ARPT WHEN ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON FINAL. THE RPTR BELIEVED THAT THE ACFT PLT ON FINAL HAD GIVEN HIM THE GO AHEAD WHEN IT WAS REALLY ANOTHER PLT OF A PIPER PA28-180; THAT WAS WAITING FOR TKOF.
Narrative
LEAVING VAY ARPT. DID RUN-UP IN AREA AWAY FROM RWY; THEN TAXIED TO RWY 8. A CHEROKEE 180 WAS JUST STARTING HIS RUN-UP. ASKED CHEROKEE 180 IF IT WOULD BE OK TO TAKE THE RWY AS WE WERE READY TO GO -- HE SAID OK. ACFT #2 WAS ON DOWNWIND AT THIS TIME. THE TXWY AT VAY ENDS APPROX 1000 FT FROM RWY END (RWY 8); REQUIRING A 1000 FT BACK TAXI. I ANNOUNCED ON CTAF I WAS BACK-TAXIING. BY THE TIME WE WERE 2/3 OF THE WAY TO DEP END; ACFT #2 TURNED FINAL. I EXPEDITED TAXI TO RWY END; AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A SEMI- CIRCULAR AREA WHERE I COULD STOP AND REMAIN CLR OF MAIN RWY. I RADIOED 'SOUTH JERSEY TFC; LNDG ACFT; I'LL PULL OFF IN THE RUN-UP AREA TO GIVE YOU ROOM.' THE ACFT RESPONDED 'GO AHEAD; WE'RE SLOW ANYWAY.' I TURNED MY ACFT AND DEPARTED. ACFT #2 LANDED WITHOUT EVENT; AT LEAST; HE DID NOT ANNOUNCE A GAR. AS I WAS CLBING OUT; THE CHEROKEE 180 ANNOUNCED HE WAS DEPARTING; AND I NOTICED THE VOICE SOUNDED LIKE THE ONE THAT HAD TOLD ME TO 'GO AHEAD.' APPARENTLY THE CHEROKEE 180 HAD MISUNDERSTOOD MY CALL TO ACFT #2; AND HAD ANSWERED ASSUMING I WAS OFFERING TO LET HIM DEPART FIRST. WHILE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR NEAR MISS; THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SIT RESULTING IN A COLLISION. THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT FOR ACFT #2 TO LAND; PARTLY BECAUSE THE RENTAL ACFT I WAS FLYING WAS DUE BACK AT 3N6 AT XA00 LCL; AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION OF WHO SHOULD DEPART FIRST THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED WITH THE CHEROKEE 180. THE C152 THAT DEPARTED BEFORE US MADE AN INTXN DEP; BUT THE TEMP WAS 85 DEGS F AND WE WERE NEAR MAX GROSS; SO I WANTED THE FULL RWY. I ALSO COULD HAVE BROKEN THE CHAIN OF EVENTS BY HOLDING IN THE RWY END RUN-UP AREA; REGARDLESS OF THE RADIO REPLY. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE SIT ALTOGETHER BY NOT TAKING THE RWY UNTIL ACFT #2 HAD LANDED AND THEN ALLOWING THE CHEROKEE 180 TO GO FIRST IF HE WAS READY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.