M-20 G Statesman
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 23; Flight Crew Total 5600; Flight Crew Type 1090
Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Time Pressure
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
In Mooney Statesman (M20); after runup on main ramp; made blind call on UNICOM that I would be taxiing for departure [Runway] 22. While proceeding north on the east parallel taxiway for departure; monitored the radio and checked the surrounding airspace; heard no radio calls and saw no traffic in the pattern; left nor right nor on final. I stopped just behind the hold-short line at departure end of 22 with aircraft heading of approximately 320 (hold-short line is not fully perpendicular to the runway at that point). After making final before takeoff checks; I made a blind radio call 'County Traffic; departing Runway 22; turn out west; County.' As I began to advance the throttle; I looked to the right to make one final check before pulling out on the runway and saw Baron approximately 200 FT from touchdown (at about 50 FT AGL). I immediately retarded the throttle and slammed on the brakes; coming to a stop just at the hold-short line as the Baron landed without incident. I called UNICOM on my radio and asked if they had heard any radio calls from that aircraft and received the answer that they had not. I then heard UNICOM call the aircraft twice; but heard no response from the Baron. I did not have the time to investigate further at that time and departed to home station without further incident. I contacted the FBO on Monday and spoke with the person answering UNICOM on Sunday. He told me that he spoke with the pilot and that he indicated that he had heard the radio traffic but that he had a problem with his headset built-in microphone and couldn't respond. According to him; the pilot decided he would be using a hand-held mic he had to continue his flight. When this occurred; my aircraft was the only one departing and the airfield itself did not have any other aircraft taxiing; in the pattern nor making any radio calls. It took approximately 5 minutes to taxi and another couple of minutes to do takeoff checks. There is an 80 FT high solid stand of trees to the west of the final 300 FT along the approach path which can hamper visibility from the hold-short line of an aircraft on the base leg; depending upon the in-flight aircraft's altitude. Fortunately; my 'check-check again-then check once more' approach to flying avoided a potentially catastrophic situation. I got the impression from the man at UNICOM that when he spoke with the pilot of the Baron on the ground; the pilot didn't feel there was anything out of place with his handling of the situation. I question why he didn't switch to his hand-held while he was still in the air before attempting to land at an uncontrolled airport. Also; under these circumstances; had I been flying the Baron without two-way communications; I would have executed a go-around to ensure clearance; especially if I heard the radio call that the aircraft at the hold-short line was about to take the runway to which I was on final and I had no way to alert that aircraft. It is my opinion that this was an avoidable situation if the Baron pilot had followed normal communication failure procedures and exercised more caution.
A M20 pilot preparing for takeoff reported that a Baron pilot on short final with a hand held radio monitoring CTAF did not make a response to his takeoff call; and so the M20 had to make an emergency stop as he entered the runway.