NMAC BTWN 2 SMA'S IN THE TFC PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.
Synopsis
NMAC BTWN 2 SMA'S IN THE TFC PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED ARPT.
Narrative
DURING NORMAL TRAINING WITH A STUDENT IN C172 AT AN UNCTLED ARPT; A CLOSE CALL INVOLVING COLLISION AVOIDANCE OCCURRED. MY STUDENT AND I WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GOES AND HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN THE ARPT'S TFC PATTERN FOR 5 PREVIOUS TOUCH-AND-GOES. SEVERAL PLANES HAD ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN PROPERLY AND WITH GOOD SEPARATION DURING THIS DURATION. UPON THE FIFTH TOUCH-AND-GO; MY STUDENT AND I WERE BOTH VERY AWARE OF 2 PLANES THAT HAD CALLED IN AND PLANNED TO ENTER THE PATTERN. BOTH OF THEIR CALLS STATED THAT THEIR INTENTIONS WERE TO ENTER THE PATTERN ON THE 45 DEG ENTRY FOR THE R DOWNWIND (NONSTANDARD PATTERN) AT MIDFIELD. NOW THIS IS THE STATED ENTRY IN THE AIM FOR PATTERN ENTRY TO AN UNCTLED ARPT. HOWEVER; THE FIRST ACFT FAILED TO DO AS RPTED AND ENTERED AT A POINT WHERE PLANES IN THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN ARE IN THE XWIND JUST TURNING A DOWNWIND. THIS IS WHERE MY STUDENT AND I WERE ESTABLISHED IN A XWIND JUST ABOUT TO TURN A DOWNWIND (PRACTICALLY IN THE TURN). THIS IS A VERY TOUGH TIME TO SPOT TFC ENTERING THE PATTERN AS VERY OFTEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DEP A PLANE IS TURNING A XWIND ONCE AT A SAFE ALT; THEN SOON AFTER TURNING A DOWNWIND. ESPECIALLY IN A C172 WITH THE HIGH WING. THIS OTHER ACFT PROCEEDED TO ENTER ASSUMING WE HAD VISUAL CONTACT AND WITHOUT MAKING A CALL THAT HE WAS NOW ENTERING THE PATTERN. I THINK THE PROB HERE WAS A LOT OF PLT COMPLACENCY AND FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROC.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.