STUDENT PLT ON A SOLO TRAINING FLT IN A PA28 HAS NMAC WITH A BONANZA IN THE TFC PATTERN AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT DUE TO DISORIENTATION IN NOT SPOTTING THE RWY WHILE ON BASE LEG.

Date: 2001-02 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior

Anomalies: other-spacial-disorientation

Synopsis

STUDENT PLT ON A SOLO TRAINING FLT IN A PA28 HAS NMAC WITH A BONANZA IN THE TFC PATTERN AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT DUE TO DISORIENTATION IN NOT SPOTTING THE RWY WHILE ON BASE LEG.

Narrative

I WAS PRACTICING STALLS; STEEP TURNS; AND SLOW FLT WHEN I GOT A CALL FROM MY FLT SCHOOL TELLING ME I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LAND AT A DIFFERENT ARPT THAN THE ONE I DEPARTED FROM AS A RESULT OF STRONG XWINDS. I HAD NOT STARTED THE XCOUNTRY PHASE OF MY PVT PLT TRAINING. ONE OF MY INSTRUCTORS FLEW OUT TO WHERE I WAS PRACTICING TO SHOW ME THE WAY TO GOODYEAR ARPT. AS I NEARED THE ARPT ON A 4 MI R BASE FOR RWY 3; I RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND. HOWEVER; I HAD NEVER FLOWN TO GOODYEAR ARPT AND I COULD NOT SPOT THE RWY. I HAD MY INSTRUCTOR IN SIGHT UNTIL HE TURNED FROM BASE TO FINAL. I WAS STILL ON MY BASE AT 2000 FT MSL (PATTERN ALT) AND I APPARENTLY OVERSHOT THE RWY BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE IT. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CALL ATC WHEN THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 2500 FT MSL AND STAY ON THE SAME HDG. APPARENTLY; THERE WAS A BONANZA COMING HEAD-ON ON A L BASE. I DIDN'T SEE THE TFC. I COMPLIED WITH ATC AND TOLD THEM I WAS A STUDENT PLT AND COULD NOT LOCATE THE RWY. THEY THEN GAVE ME HDG AND ALT INSTRUCTIONS AND I SAW THE RWY AND LANDED SAFELY.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.