PA-20 Pacer/PA-22 Tri-Pacer
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 18000; Flight Crew Type 500
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors
I was taxiing; single pilot; at the approach end of the runway; with run-up complete. I had heard our training airplane report north of the airport for downwind. I had not heard any other transmissions from [the training aircraft]; so I was looking at the downwind; base and final before I took the runway. I did not see any airplanes. I made a radio call for departure with a turn to the southeast. I heard no reply. I emphasize I did not see another airplane and heard only one radio call from [the training aircraft.] I teach in that airplane at this airport. Last year I had over 800 landings at this airport in multiple training airplanes. I am very familiar with this airport. My Piper is a tailwheel airplane so I was looking 'up' into a cloudy sky from the approach end of the runway. There were huge white clouds in the sky but much higher than the pattern altitude. [The training aircraft] is a white airplane. I taxied onto the runway and commenced the takeoff. At about 50 FT I heard a radio call for a go-around. I thought it was strange that if it was [the other aircraft]; why did he not make a radio call that I had encroached on his landing runway? As I was climbing I saw [the training aircraft] fly past on the right side of my airplane at about 200 FT and maybe 50 FT above me and climbing. I made a radio call that if a pilot would see another airplane take the active runway in front of a landing airplane it would be appropriate to tell the pilot immediately of the incursion. I also said I did not hear any reports for base or final. I listened for the reply and it was something to the effect he did make the calls. I continued the climb to 3;500 FT and proceeded to fly to [my] home airfield. I watched as [the training aircraft] made a very long straight in final approach and he did announce his intentions but again I did not hear any reports on base or [short] final. I had no problems with ATC on the approach and landing at [my home airfield] so I know my radio was working properly. Because I have been teaching at [the departure airport] for the past two years I will make it a point in class and in the training airplanes how important it is to communicate on the radio in the landing pattern. One announcement is not enough; especially when the airplane in the air can see an airplane at the approach end. I regret that I did not see [the training aircraft] on base or final approach.
A Piper tri-pacer pilot did not see an aircraft that reported to be in the area; so he reported taking the runway for departure. As he was beginning to climbout; he heard the other aircraft report going around and observed the aircraft climbing above him. He did not hear the other aircraft report on base or final and had not seen the aircraft prior to taking the runway.