Falcon 2000
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Confusion
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Airport; Procedure; Airspace Structure; Human Factors
Last Sunday night while returning empty to our home airport we had to execute a go-around due to an opposite direction aircraft failing to acknowledge us or give way while we were on short final. I was the Pilot Flying on this leg; our last leg of three for the day. It was dusk; wind was light; better than 5 miles Visibility; 1;200 ft. Overcast. We were with Approach who had cleared us for the ILS Approach due to the low ceilings; but had been monitoring CTAF on Com 1 for the last 20 miles. The pilot monitoring had made 3 traffic calls by this point. We proceeded on the approach; and once below the ceiling; visually acquired the runway; and cancelled our IFR Flight Plan with Approach at approximately 2.5 miles from the runway. Just prior to this we picked up a cyan target on TCAS at the opposite end of the runway; roughly 2 miles from the airfield; 5 miles from us. It appeared to be a helicopter at 600 ft. on a northerly heading but they had not responded or acknowledged our traffic calls. We initially thought it might be a transient since they had not responded. Upon fully switching to CTAF and giving a 'short final' traffic call; the opposing traffic changed its heading and lined up for the opposite direction runway in a head on situation. The pilot of this aircraft then radioed the following; 'Experimental Jet landing ...' The Pilot Monitoring quickly responded that we were a Jet on short final and the active runway was our runway. No further response from the Experimental Jet traffic; so I opted to execute a Go-Around. The Pilot Monitoring called our Go-Around on CTAF. There was no other traffic in the area so I rolled right; cleaned up and executed a right 360 degree turn in order to stay in VMC conditions and position us to return to land. In the turn; we heard the landing traffic call that he had cleared the runway. The pilot monitoring made an additional traffic call; but there was no further response from the traffic; and we landed without incident. The pilot of that aircraft never responded or apologized; and appeared to quickly park the plane at the airport hangars. A later conversation with the FBO line serviceman; who knew the pilot of this jet aircraft and revealed this pilot's name and the aircraft type. Later on this ramper texted with the jet pilot; and the pilot revealed that he was; 'very low on fuel and scud running' so he opted to land with a tailwind on the opposite direction runway. We were upset that this dangerous situation even occurred; as it could have been prevented with some basic airmanship. We believe that this pilot's behavior was an absolute hazard to himself and others on the ground. Yesterday morning I opted to do some online research; and I discovered that this individual was a Private Pilot and only qualified to fly his experimental jet.This careless and dangerous behavior could not only hurt this pilot; and those on the ground should an incident occur; but also general aviation as a community and the local community near the airport. This pilot does not appear to respect the FARs having demonstrated that it's acceptable to operate his aircraft in IMC while he is not qualified to do so. Additionally; he did not demonstrate adequate Private Pilot knowledge; AIM knowledge; nor did he respect his aircraft's specific limitations by operating on low fuel and then landing on the wrong runway despite the weather reports or that there was an inbound aircraft on the same runway.
A pilot landing at a non towered airport reported initiating a go around due to opposite direction landing traffic not communicating on CTAF.