Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 400; Flight Crew Type 325
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
I left Front Range airport in the late evening with my wife and two children on board. I watched an emergency helicopter takeoff from ramp and then started my airplane and announced that I was taxing from the ramp to the runway. The Tower closed so I was announcing my positions as I would for a non controlled airport. I announced that I was going to back taxi Runway 8 as the taxiway for [Runway] 8 was under construction. Upon nearing the end and announcing that I was taking off of Runway 8 with an eastbound departure. I headed down the runway; as I was getting near the end of the runway I could see two dim red lights that appeared to be coming at me and I doubled checked to see that my landing light was on and it was. My traffic on the Garmin popped up that traffic was head on and I pushed the throttle forward pulled up and slightly to the right as it appeared he went right under me 100-200 FT. I immediately got on the radio and questioned what was going on and no response. Then I asked for a radio check thinking maybe my radio. Someone answered that it came in loud and clear and that they were in the hangar area. I assume it was one of those emergency helicopter pilots as he said they were on the ground by the hangars; so I know my radio was working. Then in a couple minutes I heard what sounded like a foreign accent come on the radio and ask if I was doing pattern work; to which I replied no I am eastbound. I was on the radio announcing my position at least 4 times and never a response once. First of all this airport is just a few miles from DEN; so a radio is a must and they were on final without a landing light or strobe. I can't recall seeing a beacon but not for sure. I know the Tower was closed but in Class D airspace it is imperative that people use their radios. I have flown into the airports of Denver for over 5 years now and never had anything like this happen; I say they need to run that Tower 24 hours again if the safety that close to Denver International can't be regulated better.
A pilot departed FTG at night and immediately after takeoff had a near miss with an aircraft which apparently had neither navigation nor landing lights on and also not making CTAF radio announcements.