Thursday, June 29, 2006

Lessons Learned While NOT Flying

Today as I sat in Operations I witnessed a near miss......or hit as it may be. Trying to pay full attention to the conversation at hand concerning a generator for a back up power source, I can't help but listen to the traffic calling out positions heading to the field.

As a Cirrus was in the pattern, downwind I believe, a Cessna called out a ten mile position/inbound to land and a Citation had just taken off 10-15 minutes prior. Seemed like activity was picking up. The Cirrus was base then final with a super smoooooth landing…looked great. With a quick taxi back he was off. Turning cross then downwind the Cessna calls out entry on crosswind then turning base no. 2 for landing with traffic in site. Ahhhhhh…it always good to hear and picture the pattern even if I am on the ground….working.

Now there is another Cirrus on the ground taxing out from the FBO area, and the other on final for 28 as I look north and see an aircraft heading west to east north of the 19 approach…..but close to the field. I continue with my discussions with about equipment when I see the cirrus touching down. Someone calls out on the radio "plane landing on 19!", the cirrus that was taxing made the call, after he blew through the hold short at 19 and must have crapped since he saw this banner plane rolling out (with no radio calls) The airborne cirrus had touched down, I turned to look north and can’t believe what I am about to see. The landing cirrus rolls past 1-19 on runway 28 and the banner plane tries to steer clear and in doing so turns so hard the left wingtip scrapes the runway. He does not wreck it but I bet the house he needed a change. Thank God the cirrus was quick and the other was a banner plane plodding along…there was room to spare.

The banner plane never flew over the field to check on wind direction or traffic and in IMO didn’t do enough to see and avoid. He did state he did clearing turns to look for traffic but I didn’t see them I just saw his right base entry in a left traffic pattern for 19 of which was NOT the active. He did say yes he entered on a right base as was not aware of the left traffic pattern. The banner plane did not have a radio on board.

A learning experience for this pre checkride pilot…….I hope to finally take the checkride after the 4th of July!!

No comments: