Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 300
Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Procedure
I was conducting primary flight training in the traffic pattern at ZZZ. While on left downwind to runway XX; I thought I heard another aircraft on frequency announce; '...opposite direction.' but didn't hear the specific airport and didn't ask for a second transmission because I didn't think it came from ZZZ because I didn't see any runway activity and my experience at this airport is there is relatively little traffic. I proceeded with the normal traffic pattern with my student and made my 'base' call and then was late making my 'final' traffic pattern call because I got involved in instructional direction. My traffic pattern call was probably made about 1/4 mile on short final and that specific call was '...on short final.' All of the sudden out of my peripheral view I saw a single-engine turboprop aircraft (might have been a PC-12 or TBM) flying the opposite direction off runway XY (opposite direction runway) and turning to the right to avoid me. The pilot of the aircraft asked if I saw him and I stated that I did. The SE turboprop continued with its departure and we finished our landing and continued our pattern work. Clearly during an instructional traffic pattern ride there is quite a bit of concentrated discourse between the instructor and the student; and that was the case here. My preconceived notions about the traffic density at the airport lured me into thinking I didn't need to ask for a retransmission of the partial radio call I heard regarding the 'opposite direction.' That most assuredly was a mistake. Furthermore; I didn't see the oncoming aircraft on the runway because the paint livery on the aircraft allowed the oncoming aircraft to blend in well into the background color of the runway itself and that's even with my eyes refocusing towards the end of the runway as I continued to evaluate the student's descent to the runway. Additionally the aircraft did not display on my iPad from my Stratus input and I didn't see it on the MFD from any TIS input. Lastly; today's flight was the end of an intense 2-week training period during which I was flying twice a day with two different students with pre-and-post briefings and debriefings and simulator instruction in the evening with the two different students as well. Last week was physically taxing with intense heat throughout the day for the entire week. I believe that fatigue did play a role; however; my nature is I don't necessarily feel the fatigue while engaged in flying-related activities because the adrenaline is pumping and artificially masks the full effects of the fatigue. Corrective actions include my not disregarding an 'opposite direction' call regardless of any preconceptions or specific circumstances. Second is realizing a thorough search of an uncontrolled runway on final is warranted in all circumstances because of the potential impacts of paint livery on the aircraft permitting the aircraft to be easily overlooked on a runway of similar coloring. Also I now am facing my evaluating my habit patterns regarding aircraft traffic. I realize that with the expanding availability of reliable traffic information transmitted to me on\in different ways; my disciplined approach to scanning the horizon for other aircraft is declining because of increased reliance of ADS-B inputs pushed to me; complete with aural traffic conflict alerts.
C182 Instructor reported an airborne conflict with opposite direction traffic due to failure of understanding radio transmission at a non-towered airport.