Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 400; Flight Crew Type 300
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
Inbound on the 45 for the right traffic 31 I was going 100 KIAS. My nose was pointed at between mid field and the end of the Runway (13). I looked right and saw an aircraft on right crosswind. Performed a left 360 for spacing. After the flight saw my ground track was towards the 13 numbers. After the flight the person threatened me physically and stated that he was going to make a report so I would lose my job. The way it could be made better at this airport would be radar installed at this airport.
Just after rotation on the upwind for a touch-and-go (before midfield on the upwind); MER Tower told us that traffic was on the right 45 to the downwind approaching the prison (a visual reference point that is about midfield right downwind) and I said I was looking for the traffic. I continued upwind until about .5 miles past the departure end of the runway; and still did not have traffic in sight. Considering the size of the runway (approx 12;000 feet) and with no traffic in sight; I believed them to be nearly abeam the approach end of the runway and I started my right crosswind. At this point; the traffic I was advised about called Tower about having my aircraft in sight and started a left 360 degree turn. I saw the airplane in sight still about 1 mile from the departure end of the runway and expedited my turn to the crosswind and downwind to avoid the traffic. From there I continued the pattern and made a normal touch-and-go.
Two instructor pilots in the MER traffic pattern report a near miss as both aircraft on base turns for Runway 13 approached each other. One aircraft turned a 360; the other continued.