A DA20 PLT AT MRI EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A C150 PLT WHO MISIDENTED OTHER TFC INSTEAD OF THE RPTED TFC WHILE IN THE LNDG PATTERN.

Date: 2006-06 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-nmac|deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

A DA20 PLT AT MRI EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A C150 PLT WHO MISIDENTED OTHER TFC INSTEAD OF THE RPTED TFC WHILE IN THE LNDG PATTERN.

Narrative

ACFT #1 INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT ON OPPOSITE DOWNWIND WHICH REQUIRED ACFT #1 TO EXTEND DOWNWIND. ACFT #1 CLRED FOR TOUCH-AND-GO. ACFT #2 CLRED TOUCH-AND-GO TO FOLLOW US. ACFT #2 ACKNOWLEDGED; BUT INSTEAD TURNED EARLY BASE AND WAS ON A COLLISION COURSE AND CLOSING FAST WHEN ACFT #1 TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING R TO AVOID COLLISION. IT IS MY OPINION THAT PLT OF ACFT #2 DID NOT SEE ACFT #1. HAD ACFT #1 NOT TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION; A COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: TWR CTLR WAS NEW AND BEING TRAINED. ACFT #2 PLT VERY INEXPERIENCED AND LATER ACKNOWLEDGED HE THOUGHT HE WAS FOLLOWING A DIFFERENT ACFT. TWR CTLR DID NOT SEE ACFT #2 DEVIATE FROM CLRNC UNTIL ABOUT THE SAME TIME ACFT #1 DID ABRUPT EVASIVE MANEUVER. ACFT #1 PLT DID NOT SEE ACFT #2 UNTIL ABRUPT EVASIVE ACTION NECESSARY. (SPECULATION -- HAD ACFT #1 BEEN A CESSNA; A COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO OBSCURATION BY WINDOW FRAME AND HIGH WING). ACFT #2 PLT TOLD TO FOLLOW 'KATANA' -- FAILED TO MAKE POSITIVE IDENT OF 'KATANA.' ACFT #2 WAS A COLOR WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE ON A CLOUDY/PARTLY CLOUDY DAY. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND INCLUDE SCAN TO CHK FOR CONFLICTING TFC IN RANGE OF 8-12-4 O'CLOCK POS IN TFC PATTERN WHEN ON FINAL REGARDLESS IF AT A TWR CTLED ARPT. SUGGEST FLT INSTRUCTORS ENSURE STUDENTS CAN IDENT DIFFERENT ACFT TYPES. SUGGEST ALL PLTS QUESTION THEIR SEQUENCE IF IN DOUBT. ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW COST TCAS AND CAPSTONE EQUIP. HAVE CTLRS MONITOR ALL TFC MORE CLOSELY. EMPHASIZE 'SEE AND AVOID.'

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