Don't Rely On Radio Only!

SO, I had a near mid-air with a twin Cessna yesterday on landing at my home airport (KAWO). As I was on very short final, about 30 feet in the air just over the numbers I transferred my gaze from the touchdown point to the far end of the runway and had my canopy filled with twin Cessna. Fortunately he was above me and climbing, but it got my attention. Good thing I didn't have to go around.

Arlington (WA) is a non-towered airport with two runways. 16/34 is the primary runway with 11/29 as an auxiliary. The wind yesterday was all over the place. 34 was active when I left, but an hour later when I returned 16 was a (slightly) better choice. I was listening to the frequency for about 15 minutes before I approached and a few airplanes had been using 16 there was then silence for a while.

The wind was constantly moving from about 200 through 250 and from 3 to about 10 knots. As previous people had been using 16 and it was a slightly better choice I set up for an approach to 16.

I called 8 miles out over a prominent land mark (Lake Goodwin). I called on the 45 over another prominent point (Twin Lakes Park). I called downwind, base, and final. There was a Skyhawk entering the pattern behind me and a Bonanza behind him, all making calls for 16.

I made all the appropriate calls and there were two other airplanes stating intentions for 16 so obviously the Cessna wasn't listening. I was and he never made a call before pulling onto the runway. Once on the runway with my wits about me again I keyed the mike and said simply "Thanks Buddy!". He responded that he didn't see me and then that he was turning crosswind, kinda in the direction of the Skyhawk on base. This proved that his radio worked and it was tuned to the correct frequency.

After much time bemoaning many aspects of the background of the Twin Cessna pilot I began to look objectively at what I could have done better.

As I was on the 45 I noticed an airplane in the run up area adjacent to 34. Of course, I had no idea what his intentions were. For all I knew he could have been planning to depart 29. I had that information filed in the back of my head, but didn't make enough use of it. I figured since I hadn't heard him say anything I was safe. BIG MISTAKE.

What I should have done, knowing he was there, was to watch him like a hawk. As I turned downwind to base I should have checked to see where he was. As I turned base to final I should have cheked again. If I had been more diligent, even though he said nothing, I should have seen him pull nto the runway and gone around, sidestepping off of the runway. This would have prevented the issue and I could have even warned the folks behind me.

I broke my own number one rule: "Always assume that the other guy will do something stupid." If you do you will never be surprised and rarely be disappointed. I had grown complacent because most people at least say something on the radio, even if they don't listen. Never rely on the radio alone always look, everywhere.

Steve,

Good Rule you have there - "Always assume that the other guy will do something stupid."

I'm sure anyone with even a modest number of hours will have a story or two to tell. I take your mandate just a little further. When I see someone taxiing, doing a run-up, or pretty much doing anything while I'm in the pattern, I keep an eye on them. I won't bore this group with my mundane war stories but I've seen enough foolishness and lack of communication to make me wonder who is going to do what next without announcing.

Don said:

Steve,

Good Rule you have there - "Always assume that the other guy will do something stupid."

I'm sure anyone with even a modest number of hours will have a story or two to tell. I take your mandate just a little further. When I see someone taxiing, doing a run-up, or pretty much doing anything while I'm in the pattern, I keep an eye on them. I won't bore this group with my mundane war stories but I've seen enough foolishness and lack of communication to make me wonder who is going to do what next without announcing.

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AMEN to THAT!! I get expecially real nervous around airports where the wind doesn't clearly define which runway to use. I swear, people do stupid things because they can.....

Aviate, COMMUNICATE, navigate etc.

funny that this doesn't come up more under the SAFETY category.
...and no criticism of your handling of the incident.....

I think poor radio procedure ( mine included!) is a huge problem, especially at larger uncontrolled fields like Arlington, with a lot of taxiways & a couple runways.
Are we really to cool to call and ASK?? I've been overhead watching someone do a run-up, and wondered 'is it just a mechanic ground running a bit?'
...or when you aren't in a good position to see the end of the runway behind you, and someone calls " XYZ entering 'the active'". Which active???
would it really kill him to say " XYZ at alpha rolling 16 for takeoff, left turn out." There. now we know what he's doing for the next 60 seconds!, and can make our plan accordingly.

next time I hope I'll have the foresight to call XYZ if I see him doing his runup, and ask " what are your intentions?"
I hear the tower do it all the time, so can we!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uveQWqmOACg

Here is a video of a somewhat similar situation recently. Another pilot just had to land first, all others be damned. He says, "I'll make the first turn-off and be out of your way." Yeah right. I just happened to have a gopro recording it. No audio unfortunately.

glad you are ok. my thought is what was this guy thinking. is he going to do it again, or not. there are people out there who should not be flying or driving. is he local? do you know who he is?

my thought was you could of tried to contact him by his position and type to determine his intentions. i like that phrase from atc, state your intentions. that way you would of obtained some good info on him. we learn every time we fly.

ArlingtonRV said:

I broke my own number one rule: "Always assume that the other guy will do something stupid." If you do you will never be surprised and rarely be disappointed.

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I use a slightly different version (particularly on the motorcycle):

"Assume everyone you see will do something to try and kill you, whether they mean to or not. Act accordingly."

TODR

Turbo - no, he wasn't a local. He had been around the airport that day, but I hadn't seen that airplane before.

Radio Work

Thanks Steve for sharing this. I'll keep this in mind for sure.

ArlingtonRV said:

I called 8 miles out over a prominent land mark (Lake Goodwin). I called on the 45 over another prominent point (Twin Lakes Park). I called downwind, base, and final. There was a Skyhawk entering the pattern behind me and a Bonanza behind him, all making calls for 16.

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Slightly off topic, but as a non-local pilot who flies into and out of a lot of non-towered airports, it is better for us non-locals for traffic to announce direction and distance from the airport rather than local landmarks. Calling over "Lake Goodwin" doesn't help a non-local pilot in figuring out where the surrounding traffic is. Just a minor point.

I agree and I use both direction/distance and local land mark. The landmarks that I use, however, are prominently marked on aeronautical charts and can be seen clearly. A specific position is of more value than a direction alone.

"Yellow RV 5 miles Northwest over Silvana" is a more useful piece of information than 5 miles Norhtwest, or 8 miles North, etc. Although I must admit that I also am often remiss in taking time to look at an area around a new airport before I go there the first time as well and I also sometimes get confused when people reference local land marks that I'm not familiar with.

It is also useful to actually be where your radio calls says you are. If you are going to call in over a landmark, actually be over that land mark when calling. There is nothing worse to hear "123 over Twin Lakes" when I notice "Holy Carp I'm over Twin Lakes". I initiate a climb and start a turn only find the caller actually 2 miles away and behind me.

While we're on the subject, using phrases like "approaching, coming up on, near, etc" do not do much to help other traffic.

Of course, one can always be really helpful, like I am, when Carl is trying to find me after taking off after me, I'll tell him that "I am directly over the hill below me". What... Not helpful? Bueller...

Another radio call which is useless to students, non-local, and non-instrument pilots in the pattern: "Inbound on the VOR alpha approach".

ArlingtonRV said:

There is nothing worse to hear "123 over Twin Lakes" when I notice "Holy Carp I'm over Twin Lakes". I initiate a climb and start a turn only find the caller actually 2 miles away and behind me.

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I try to avoid doing *anything* when I find myself in that situation, until *after* I have worn my neck out on a swivel making myself sure that climbing, turning, etc. isn't going to make the situation worse.

Remember: If you suddenly find yourself head-on to another airplane, and yu turn, the other airplane now has to get above or below your fuselage by the length of your wings in order to avoid a collision. If you push or pull, you only need to move the plane up or down by the height of your (or his) tail. Don't expose yourself to more risk when you're thrust into an iffy situation.

There will be always moments like this if you fly a lot. Very often it happens at home airport I don't know why. I made some mistakes when I started flying my RV. All were preventable had I been more attentive. I thought it was always "another guy's fault". Glad you are OK Steve.

You guys have hit on one of my pet peeves as an instructor.

I work hard to make my students very aware that they will never see an airplane with their ears. While the radio is extremely useful, it cannot be relied on for separation.

I emphasize keeping one's head "on a swivel".

I like teaching primary students in the Champ for a number of reasons - one of which is that as a NORDO aircraft, they HAVE to actively look for traffic. That is one of the most important skills/habits a pilot can have.

Remember there are aircraft that have no radio and there are pilots who won't use them when they have them.

Make the calls on the radio, ask for position reports if you need to, but your eyes are the primary traffic separation tools.

Stay safe

Chad