SR20
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 45; Flight Crew Total 1003; Flight Crew Type 356
Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
My student and I were holding short of runway 25 at MQJ; picking up our IFR release through clearance delivery. The clearance was given for immediate departure using an unfamiliar obstacle departure procedure. The void time for the clearance was less than five minutes. This caused us to rush to find the procedure and continue onto the runway for departure. We taxied forward toward the runway while tuning the CTAF frequency to make the takeoff call. As we taxied out; an aircraft that was on final and not seen by us landed in front of us. The aircraft crossed our path in front of us and did not overfly us. We stopped immediately before entering the takeoff portion of the runway. As PIC; I checked the approach and departure course briefly before rolling forward; but due to the proximity of the aircraft on final; the windshield/door frame blocked it from view. We opted to not takeoff and cancel our release to debrief with the arriving aircraft. The pilot of the aircraft on final advised us that he observed us approaching the runway and found that there was adequate spacing to continue to land and not conduct a go-around. This situation is a result of insufficient clearing of approach course. I believe that extremely short void times contribute to rushed procedures and could lead to smellier situations in the future with other pilots. Pilots are forced rush to gather the required data and get the aircraft airborne quickly if to make their void time. The void times add unnecessary pressure to a phase of flight that must be conducted extremely carefully. An increase in duration until clearance void times would allow pilots to conduct better CRM/SPRM and improve situational awareness.
SR20 instructor pilot reported feeling rushed by an ATC clearance with a short void time and missed seeing a C172 on short final at an uncontrolled airport. He felt that the short void time created an unnecessary hazard.