A BELLANCA 7GCAA PVT PLT HAD TO SWERVE ON LNDG ROLLOUT ON RWY 03 WHEN HE SEES AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TWIN AEROSTAR 600 ON ROLLOUT ON RWY 21; NOT ON CTAF FREQ AT E80; NM.
Synopsis
A BELLANCA 7GCAA PVT PLT HAD TO SWERVE ON LNDG ROLLOUT ON RWY 03 WHEN HE SEES AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TWIN AEROSTAR 600 ON ROLLOUT ON RWY 21; NOT ON CTAF FREQ AT E80; NM.
Narrative
DURING THE MORNING; I WAS FLYING IN THE PATTERN AT BELEN ALEXANDER ARPT (E80). I HAD CALLED ABQ AFSS EARLIER THAT MORNING TO RECEIVE A BRIEFING. GOOD VFR AND LIGHT WINDS WERE FORECAST. I WAS FLYING A BELLANCA 7GCAA IN THE PATTERN AND PRACTICED FULL STOP LNDGS. I WAS ANNOUNCING MY PATTERN LEGS ON CTAF 122.9 MHZ. SQUAWKING MODE C ON A 1200 CODE; AND USING MY BEACON AND LNDG LIGHT. I WAS USING RWY 03. I WAS THE ONLY ACFT IN THE PATTERN. AFTER MY SECOND LNDG AND DURING THE LNDG ROLLOUT; I SUDDENLY SAW A TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE TOUCHING DOWN ON RWY 21 COMING HEAD-ON TO ME. I IMMEDIATELY VEERED AS FAR R ON THE RWY AS POSSIBLE AND CAME TO A STOP; READY TO HEAD INTO THE DIRT IF NECESSARY. WHEN I SAW THE TWIN HEAD TO HIS R SIDE; I KNEW THAT HE HAD SEEN ME. IT ENDED UP PASSING ME AT FAST TAXI SPEED (10-15 KTS). I THEN CALLED THE TWIN OVER THE CTAF. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWIN; BUT THE FBO AND ANOTHER PLT WHO HAD JUST DEP THE PATTERN BOTH SAID THEY NEVER HEARD THE TWIN AEROSTAR CALL ON CTAF. ADDITIONALLY; THE FBO OWNER SAID HE DID NOT HEAR THE TWIN IN THE PATTERN. THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT THE TWIN AEROSTAR SHOT A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 21. AFTER I SECURED THE AIRPLANE; I SOUGHT OUT THE PLT OF THE AEROSTAR. HE STATED THAT HE WAS BROADCASTING HIS POSITION/INTENTIONS ON THE RADIO. I ASKED IF HE WAS USING THE CORRECT CTAF; HE LOOKED PUZZLED AND SAID HE WAS ON 122.8 MHZ. I INFORMED HIM THAT THE CTAF HAD CHANGED SEVERAL MONTHS EARLIER AND THAT THE NEW FREQUENCY HAD BEEN PUBLISHED FOR SOME TIME. I HAD PURCHASED THE LATEST EDITION OF AFB SC 2 WEEKS AGO; SO I DID HAVE THE CURRENT PUB. I WAS EXPECTING SOME SORT OF APOLOGY FROM THE PLT. WHEN HE OFFERED NONE; I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD SUBMIT THIS VERY FORM. HE VERY ARROGANTLY STATED HE WOULD NOT. I FEEL THAT I WAS FOLLOWING ALL CORRECT PROCS AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS. IF THE PLT HAD OFFERED ANY SORT OF APOLOGY FOR HIS MISTAKE; THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF IT. I WAS TOLD BY THE FBO OWNER THAT THIS PLT IS A LCL AREA MILLIONAIRE. THIS COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR FOR HIS ARROGANCE. I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. IF I HAD KNOWN THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT AND A POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT; I WOULD HAVE YIELDED; AS I HAVE DONE BEFORE. I KNOW FULL WELL THAT AT UNCTLED ARPTS; A PLT MUST NOT RELY SOLELY ON RADIO CALLS. I ALWAYS LOOK AROUND IN THE PATTERN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR OTHER TFC. I LOOK FOR MY OWN SHADOW TO SEE IF THERE IS ANOTHER NEARBY. I CHECK THE RWY ON SHORT FINAL FOR OTHER TFC; ANIMALS; OBSTRUCTIONS; ETC. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR THE PLT. YOU CAN'T TEACH SAFETY AND YOU CAN'T TEACH COURTESY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.