Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Student
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 140; Flight Crew Type 140
Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Flight into St. Maries; I was concentrating on navigation; and missed the chart notation for a Right Pattern on RWY 10. I tried to fly the normal left pattern; only to discover the terrain in the way. Flying a very narrow pattern; I landed on [RWY] 10; taxied and took off; again in the left pattern; requiring a very rapid ascent to clearing altitude.Afterwards I realized the danger. If density altitude or performance had been less than ideal; a real problem would have developed. I should have noticed the terrain pulled to altitude and re-evaluated the situation - (at which point I would have seen the Right Pattern [RWY] 10 on the chart). This is a recurring judgment issue related to a hazardous attitude of 'impulsiveness.' I need to slow down and think things through.
On the day of the event I had given 105 hours of dual instruction to the student I was flying with. We were embarking on the 3rd of 5 'experience building' flights. My purpose of these flights was to see how my student would handle abnormal situations without my input. I would give him no help on these 5 flights to help him think and act with PIC mentality. I have been seeking to teach him good judgment and decision making; which I had previously seen to be lacking. I was clear with my student that although I would be playing the role of a passenger I would still be acting as PIC and his flight instructor. I communicated that I would only intervene for safety or legal purposes. Otherwise I would act as if I knew nothing about flying. On the previous two flights I had to intervene due to a missed hold short clearance as well as an attempt to takeoff while not on the CTAF frequency. On the day of the event the weather was VFR with light winds from the east. My student had not been to this airport before which I selected because I knew it had unique terrain features. As we approached St. Maries airport (S72); my student communicated that he would overfly the airport to get an indication of the wind direction. Upon over flight of the airport he elected to use runway 10 as that was the direction that the slight wind from the east favored. There were no other aircraft in the pattern or the area. We heard no other calls for St. Maries on CTAF. (Runway 10 is clearly depicted on the Seattle Sectional to have 'RP10'; right pattern runway 10. It also states this in the AFD.) Upon over flight of the airport my student announced on the radio that he was turning left crosswind 10 and proceeded to make the turn. He also then announced that he was turning left downwind for 10. At this point; still playing the role of a passenger; I asked him about the mountain in front of us (for which runway 10 has a right traffic pattern). He said it seemed strange for the pattern to be so close to the runway as he made a left joggle to bring the aircraft away from the mountain and toward the runway. I was hoping he would see that there was something wrong and make a correction to change to right traffic on his own volition; but he did not. I should have stepped in after he attempted to continue in left traffic upon seeing the mountain. I however let him land the aircraft without intervening. The landing was uneventful. After landing I noticed he had correctly drawn left traffic for runway 28; but not notated that runway 10 had right traffic. Looking back I realize I allowed the mission; seeing how my student would respond in different situations; to continue past the point where I needed to step in for purposes of flying the correct pattern. I was continually evaluating the safety of the flight especially in relation to the terrain. At no point did I allow my student to fly unsafely near the terrain; but he kept good distance and I had margin to recover from any wrong move he might make toward it.
C172 Flight Instructor and his student describe a third 'experience building' flight; during which the high time student will demonstrate his PIC judgment and the Instructor will act as a passenger. The student makes left traffic for Runway 10 at S72; although right traffic is required here due to high terrain on the north side. The pattern is modified to avoid the terrain and the student is allow to continue to landing then takeoff and do it again.