WRONG PATTERN ENTRY AND EXIT

[EDMO 1078]

Many years ago when I was a fairly new Private Pilot, I was PIC with another PP who had flown with the same instructor who taught me.  We were coming down a valley which led to the North end of the airport to make a turn to the South for our downwind.   We were about 200 feet above pattern altitude and coming into the pattern at the North corner instead of midway of the runway.  I guess our instructor had not demanded that we enter the pattern at midfield enough to make us aware of the dangers of coming into the end of the pattern in an uncontrolled airport.

Suddenly, a plane on takeoff, who must have extended his climb-out, was almost nose-to-nose with us.   Both of our planes executed a hard right bank and right turn, only missing each other by less than 100 feet - it seemed a lot closer than that at the time! 

Be aware, there is a good reason to be AT pattern altitude and enter the pattern ONLY at mid-field.  You may not see what is coming up under the nose.

At another airport, a Cessna 150 was low in the pattern, and an Ercoupe was at pattern altitude or a little higher - They both landed at the same time, with the Ercoupe (not mine) landing right on top of the Cessna.   Fortunately, both pilots were unhurt, but the prop of the Ercoupe shredded the nose of the Cessna.

EDMO

Edited 15 Oct 2015 by EDMO

[Knuckledragger 135]

Good stuff Ed!  Food for though for a newbie pilot like me.  Thanks for writing this up.

[marksires 484]

Yea, good stuff.  And fly the pattern correctly. AND ANNOUNCE YOURSELF.  I was flying a pattern at an airport in Florida, had talked to unicom, got the winds and runway in use.  I was about halfway in the downwind leg when another airplane buzzed by me nearly head on, heading for the opposite end of the runway.  No talking on the radio, and he left the pattern without landing.  I verified that I hadn't missed a right hand pattern for the airport, but no, it was standard left hand patterns for both runways.

Of course, this was the airport that the 9/11 hijackers trained at, and it was about the time they would have been training there.  I might have almost been a hero, and no one would have ever known! 

 

Mark

 

[EDMO 1078]

Yea, good stuff.  And fly the pattern correctly. AND ANNOUNCE YOURSELF.  I was flying a pattern at an airport in Florida, had talked to unicom, got the winds and runway in use.  I was about halfway in the downwind leg when another airplane buzzed by me nearly head on, heading for the opposite end of the runway.  No talking on the radio, and he left the pattern without landing.  I verified that I hadn't missed a right hand pattern for the airport, but no, it was standard left hand patterns for both runways.

Of course, this was the airport that the 9/11 hijackers trained at, and it was about the time they would have been training there.  I might have almost been a hero, and no one would have ever known! 

 

Mark

 

Sometimes, you just have to use your best judgement:  I have announced "Straight-in-Approach and landing from 5 miles South" and landed at night at uncontrolled airport in the rain because there was a thunderstorm at the North end of the runway.  

I made an unannounced military 90 degree approach and landing in rain in Oklahoma after an airline pilot reported hail and turbulence just north of me.   Made some "off-brand" takeoffs too when storms were too close to stay in the regular pattern.

I was coming in with a full load for a landing once and the airport said "Landing to the South, no Traffic, winds 20 gusting 30" - On downwind I saw the windsock switch from North to South, so I just held my pattern altitude and circled the airport to land to the North, while telling on the radio of my intentions.

No landing decision should be rushed, but if you think ahead, you may be able to give yourself some options, and it might save your bacon!        Fortunately, I now only fly when the sun is out or the weather is nice, and Uncle don't let me fly at night anymore.

EdMO