This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
Was flying a practice RNAV approach into ZZZ in a Cessna 182. I was flying this approach visually.
At 10 miles out I made a radio call that I was on a 10 mile straight in for practice RNAV XX ZZZ. I did the same for 5 mile, 3 mile, and short final. I had reached minimums and had disconnected the autopilot.
I could be wrong on the distance, but I feel like I was less than a half mile from the threshold of XX and 100ish AGL when a Pilatus PC-12 crosses the hold short line and enters the runway.
Other planes begin yelling for me to go-around.
I believe that’s what I was hearing. I can’t be sure because I became so focused and added power to go-around and I side stepped to the right.
Other pilots began saying the PC-12 never made a radio call and just took off and was warning the traffic on the upwind that it was turning crosswind.
Finally the PC-12 said he was left crosswind and departing and said sorry.
Primary Problem: Human Factors
ACN: 2165828
When you click on the link it will take you to the ASRS Online Database. Click on Report Number and put the ACN in the search box, then click Search. On that page, click on “view only the 1 most recent report.”
FAA has published an Advisory Circular AC back in June 2023. It is recommended procedure. A good read will educate anyone in procedures at non-towered airports…..
BTW disregard FAA recommendations and cause an accident will but you behind the eight ball.
FAA and the NTSB law judge take a dim view of anyone ignoring FAA recommendations
AC 90-66C
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_90-66C.pdf
Yes, required reading, remembering and following .!!!
We’ve referenced this AC a number of times in comments.
While a straight in at a non-towered airport is ‘not recommended’, it’s a good idea to know how to fly a straight in approach, when a class D tower replies with ‘straight-in rwy XX, cleared to land’..!
I’ve gotten this reply at a number of California class D airports, Chico, Redding…
I’ve also gotten a ‘make a right base, rwy 26, cleared to land’ at Camarillo, when I reported over the Fillmore VOR.
So, while it is important to fly a standard pattern at non-tower airports, be prepared to fly a non standard approach at some class D airports.!
Oh, and practice power off 180s to ensure that you can make the runway in an emergency.
This will be a fairly tight pattern, and you’ll be well above the vasi/papi lights on final, which are set for 3.0 to 3.5 degrees, which is a >16:1 ‘glide’ ratio. [ maybe ok for a sailplane. ?]
I live in Utah a state with only about 4 control towers, and I find the radio calls for landing at airports are slim and non. Even the folks that fly medical transport flights.
Sad, but they are very complacent is my observation here in Utah.
Safety comes from proper communication at all times not just when you think someone is looking.
I lived at Spruce Creek flyin in Daytona Beach Florida for 30 some years and only had one person that failed to use radio.
But in Florida you had controlled airport up and down the coast that kept non radio airplanes out of the mix. Keep you eyes open always expect the unexpected at uncontrolled airports.
Wild Wild West here in Utah.
I agree the PC-12 pilot could’ve probably prevented this whole episode by just delaying his departure…radio calls or not.
Did he exhibit poor ADM? Absolutely. His severe lack of SA is reaffirmed by his eventual ‘apology’ on the radio. But…as usual with this particular topic:
Did he bust a reg? Which one…ROW? Maybe; depends on how you interpret 91.113. The 182 driver would have to prove that he intended to land and the PC-12 forced a go-around…from 1/2 mile (+/-) on final.
Was the PC-12 pilot “Careless and Reckless”? Depends on how you interpret 91.13.
As far as the Cessna 182 driver shooting a practice RNAV straight-in approach? There is no requirement to be on an IFR flight plan to fly one.
Safety pilot needed? Not if he wasn’t using a ‘view limiting device’. Did he intend to ‘log it’ as an actual IAP for currency, or just practice tracking the needles?
Since he stated “I was flying this approach visually”….sounds like the latter.
Radio calls “required” while shooting a practice IAP under VFR in VMC? Highly recommended-not required.
But as far as: “First, long straight ins are a strict NO NO,…” at an “uncontrolled field”?
Not true:
Every FAA-published instrument approach procedure (IAP) includes a “straight-in” final approach course segment (not talking published circling approaches here): Actual lengths vary, but all are at least several miles “long”…
There are literally thousands of IAPs published for non-towered airports.
They aren’t ‘recommended’ as a VFR “practice” option, but they are also not prohibited. Should you do one…and how you do one…when there’s a possibility of conflict with other traffic already established in the pattern…are the issues.
What is the primary responsibility for the Pilot in Command when operating in the National Airspace System under VFR?
See and avoid……period !!!!!!!!
I was transitioning to a new aircraft and wanted to practice touch & goes and a non busy non towered airport near me. My downwind pattern was a little longer for I wanted to have more time to establish a stabilized approach. I made all my announcements including for a Long Final…. Upon turning final I saw a Piper cub lower and turning base in front of me……I tried to slow down but ended having up side step and go around….He did not make any radio calls….Not a big deal for me but when I taxied passed him at his hangar he gave me a dirty look and I also think he was pointing a finger at me?????
Non Towered airports do not have to have radios.
The onus is then on you to see and avoid.
Too many ASRS reports (AKA NASA report) about non-significant events for me. I have seen social media (beechtalk for example) that some of their crazy members want you to open an ASRS report for the dumbest things. Not sure why some pilots feel the need to open so many reports. It kind of waters down the real issues.
Do these pilots call 911 and report a car pulled out in front of them on the car ride home from the airport? Well, some may actually do it.
Save the ASRS reports for the important stuff.
A go-around on a half mile final in a C182 is a non event, hardly worth a ASRS write up.
Hopefully both pilots and others learned something from it.
You should always be prepared for a go-around in the pattern, towered or non-towered!
Hey Mr. Weir; I agree 100%.
(Sent in a similar comment earlier today that hasn’t shown up yet..)
Tom C
Yup. Gotta be heads-up, ready to go-around, side-step, whatever. It’s a non-towered airport, true, but runway incursions happen at towered airports all the time. My attitude shouldn’t be “I can’t believe this happened!” Instead, maybe something like “I’ve READ ABOUT THIS THING A LOT, Oops, there it is, I know what to do.” Instead of being in total shock. READ, READ, READ. There are tons of reports on the Internet about runway incursions and bad radio calls and near me and accidents.
You did fine. Yes, a practice approach or a real approach above VFR mins does not give you priority but you went around, probably good practice. I’ve been flying for 57 years with 23,000 hours and you’ll discover that the old saying about opinions and A holes is true in aviation.
Dan F
As I heard in a You Tube video regarding ATC dealing with a poorly prepared pilot: I expect more out of a twin Cessna pilot. Same goes for a PC-12 pilot.
It’s a non towered airport. I have NEVER made a straight in, always flew a standard pattern. Practicing your approach does not confer any priority on you. If you were actually at a half mile a go around was a non issue. Just do it. If not you were head in the cockpit in VFR. No mention of a safety pilot so you were dead wrong. Were your calls completely clear about which airport you were approaching? CTAFs often overlap with nearby airports. While not legally required radio calls are always a best case. In this instance if he had called and pulled out anyway nothing would have changed. PC12 should have checked final for traffic but I suspect he only checked downwind. Sloppy work. Although very rare these days never forget at small rural airports there is a chance of a non electric NORDO. Also a reason for standard patterns.
Both pilots were at fault. Neither one followed correct procedure for an uncontrolled field. First, long straight ins are a strict NO NO, and a clearing turn looking for traffic in pattern was not performed before entering runway. I really wish that pilots would quit thinking that all aircraft have radios and, or are, on the same frequency.
Straight in are acceptable in some cases. Keep your head out of the cockpit.
It has been = D E C A D E S = since I’ve seen anyone doing clearing turns on the ground (at ANY airport). Don’t think modern day CFIs even know what a ground clearing turn is anymore (just like they think that Power-off 180s are procedures only for Commercial candidate).
It certainly appears that a lot of basic airmanship skills are no longer being taught in today’s modern flight schools…
So he didn’t announce and you weren’t looking where you were going in VFR conditions.
He needs to look and announce, you need a safety pilot.
No, the FAA cops need to escort the PC-12 pilot in cuffs to the woodshed for a ‘little talk’ about reckless flying and refer him to court to answer charges. Same as would happen on land with a reckless driver seen by a local cop. The incident described could have been a fiery mid-air crash with loss of life except for the quick sidestep by the 182 pilot. GA is still the Wild Wild West without a sheriff. One man’s opinion…
Regards/J
I think You, Mr. James B. Potter, are right. The others comms came, IMHO, from people, or pilots, that use to do (in driving or piloting) the same of the pilot of the PC12 – totally irresponsibly and high selfishness.
Thank you Bibocas.
Regards/J