ACFT X ENTERED VFR HOLDING PATTERN; TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS ACFT.

Date: 2002-04 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

ACFT X ENTERED VFR HOLDING PATTERN; TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS ACFT.

Narrative

LAKELAND APCH HAD FIRST ASKED THAT NO MORE PLANES ENTER THE HOLDING PATTERN OVER LAKE PARKER. THEY ADVISED ALL ACFT TO 'STAY CLR OF THE LAKE.' I DECIDED TO REMAIN ABOUT 5 MI OUT AND DO 'TURNS AROUND A POINT' TYPE TURNS. I WAS AT 2000 FT. THE APCH CTLR WAS REPEATING THAT 'ALL ACFT ARE TO REMAIN CLR OF THE LAKE FOR AT LEAST 45 MINS.' ANOTHER ACFT CALLED IN TO FIND OUT IF THE LAKE HANCOCK HOLD WAS BEING USED. (THIS IS THE LAKE SE OF PARKER THAT IS ALSO USED AS A HOLDING POINT. ATC ADVISED THAT LAKE HANCOCK WAS AVAILABLE FOR HOLDING; SO I DECIDED TO FLY S TO LAKE HANCOCK TO HOLD THERE INSTEAD OF THE NE SIDE OF LAKE PARKER. AS I GOT TO LAKE PARKER (ABEAM) THEY OPENED UP THE HOLDING PATTERN. ONLY ABOUT 10 MINS HAD ELAPSED OF THE PROJECTED 45 MINS. SINCE I WAS ABEAM LAKE PARKER; I OPTED TO ENTER THE HOLD THERE INSTEAD OF LAKE HANCOCK. AS I TURNED AND WAS DSNDING TO 1200 FT; I PLANNED ON SLIDING INTO THE PATTERN BEHIND 2 OTHER ACFT; THE SECOND OF WHICH WAS A LOW WING. AS ATC TOLD ME TO ENTER THE HOLD; THEY RELEASED THE PEOPLE AHEAD OF ME TO FLY THE APCH. THE GND TRACK OF THE LOW WING HAD NOW CHANGED FROM WHAT I HAD ANTICIPATED. (I ANTICIPATED THAT HE WOULD BE REMAINING OVER THE LAKE SHORE.) IF I HAD REMAINED AT THE SAME HDG AND ALT I WOULD HAVE FLOWN OVER HIS PLANE; NOT HIT HIM. I DID; HOWEVER; ELECT TO FLY A R 360 DEG TURN WHICH DID NOT EXCEED 30 DEGS OF BANK. THE APCH CTLR ASKED ME IF I SAW THE PLANE THAT (I) ALMOST TOOK OUT. I SAID 'YES.' I HAD THE ACFT IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES AND DO NOT FEEL IT WAS AN NMAC. THE EVASIVE ACTION THAT I TOOK WAS TO ONLY AVOID HAVING AN NMAC. FROM WHERE THE CTLR WAS AT THE ARPT; IT COULD HAVE LOOKED CLOSER THAN IT WAS. AFTER BEING TOLD TO ENTER THE HOLD; AND THE OTHER ACFT TOLD TO DEPART THE HOLD AND FLY THE APCH; ATC'S INSTRUCTIONS TO ME WERE TO FLY THE APCH.

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