A C172 pilot and a C172 had less than comfortable separation in Palaukwee Class D.
Synopsis
A C172 pilot and a C172 had less than comfortable separation in Palaukwee Class D.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
Sight-seeing flight operating at 2000 feet MSL orbiting a college campus. I had contacted the ATC tower at Palaukwee airport to request operations in their northeast quadrant of Class D airspace, 4-5 nautical miles from the airport.
The tower issued a traffic advisory to me of an aircraft to my southeast moving north. My passengers were asking questions at this time and I may not have registered all of the advisory information; but I responded 'looking' and I kept a scan for traffic. I also turned on my landing light to help us be more visible.
I was circling in a right hand turn and upon rollout to east heading I called tower to report that I was clearing to the east and departing the area. I then spotted the other aircraft perpendicular my right side on a collision course. I turned slightly left and climbed as he then turned slightly to his left. Then tower called the traffic in my area. I responded that he was in sight.
High wing; passengers in sight-line and distraction by passengers were factors. Ultimately see and avoid worked; but I should have spotted it sooner. Also tower issued the last advisory too late; after we avoided.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
SIGHT-SEEING FLT OPERATING AT 2000 FT MSL ORBITING A COLLEGE CAMPUS. I HAD CONTACTED THE ATC TWR AT PALWAUKEE ARPT TO REQUEST OP IN THEIR NE QUADRANT OF CLASS D AIRSPACE; 4-5 NM FROM THE ARPT. TWR ISSUED A TA TO ME OF AN ACFT TO MY SE MOVING N. MY PAX WERE ASKING QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME AND I MAY NOT HAVE REGISTERED ALL OF THE ADVISORY INFO; BUT I RESPONDED 'LOOKING' AND I KEPT A SCAN FOR TFC. I ALSO TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT TO HELP US BE MORE VISIBLE. I WAS CIRCLING IN A R HAND TURN AND UPON ROLLOUT TO E HEADING I CALLED TWR TO RPT THAT I WAS CLRING TO THE E AND DEPARTING THE AREA. I THEN SPOTTED THE OTHER ACFT PERPENDICULAR MY R SIDE ON A COLLISION COURSE. I TURNED SLIGHTLY L AND CLBED AS HE THEN TURNED SLIGHTLY TO HIS L. THEN TWR CALLED THE TFC IN MY AREA. I RESPONDED THAT HE WAS IN SIGHT. HIGH WING; PAX IN SIGHT-LINE AND DISTR BY PAX WERE FACTORS. ULTIMATELY SEE AND AVOID WORKED; BUT I SHOULD HAVE SPOTTED IT SOONER. ALSO TWR ISSUED THE LAST ADVISORY TOO LATE; AFTER WE AVOIDED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.