Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35; Flight Crew Total 2000; Flight Crew Type 630
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
Beautiful; crisp sunny day; wind was light (<5) from NE. Monitored CTAF during startup and ground flight checks; did not hear any traffic. The hangars and ramp area is at the runway 32 departure end; there is no taxiway parallel to the runway; so with the light crosswind; I setup to depart on runway 32. While holding at runway 32; I transmitted on the radio intention to takeoff 32 and depart the pattern to the SW. When about 300 ft down the runway on takeoff roll; I noticed a large white object at the far end of the runway that looked unusual; but could not discern its shape (runway is >3500ft plus approximately 300 ft displaced threshold). Since the departure end terminates adjacent a busy road; my first thought was that a large semi-trailer had parked on the side of the road. As I was about to rotate approximately 700 ft down the runway I saw the aircraft rolling towards me on runway 32. [The plane] was still on the ground so I elected to continue the rotation; climbed and banked to the right. The other aircraft broke ground very nearly the same time as me; climbed and banked to his right. We passed about 100 ft laterally! At that point I made several calls on the radio but there was no reply. The other aircraft appeared to be some kind of low wing aircraft. Either the other aircraft was NORDO (unlikely); or using the wrong frequency (unlikely since there is only one frequency at that field); or simply did not use the radio. Alternate outcome: if I had been flying a more conventional airplane; I would have had a longer ground roll and both airplanes would have been on the runway at rotation speeds; a head on collision on the narrow runway pavement! Prevention 1: If the other aircraft had been burning its landing light when I taxied into takeoff position; I would have seen that and clearly identified the object as an airplane; and subsequently taxied off the runway. I suppose that if I had been burning my landing light then the other aircraft may have taken some positive action to avoid the conflict. 'Burn the light' just made my departure checklist. Prevention 2: If the other aircraft had been REQUIRED to use the radio; then this near miss would likely have been avoided. It is ironic that my antique aircraft has a radio; yet the much newer aircraft pilot felt that radio traffic wasn't important. Comment: I think it's time for the FAA to require radio use at ALL uncontrolled public use airports; no exceptions. The glider community often uses inexpensive portable radios that have enough battery capacity for use when in the traffic pattern. I carry a handheld that can connect to my headset as an emergency backup radio. It is time for all aircraft to adopt similar equipment; because it is an important safety tool in our dense airport operations.
A pilot on takeoff roll from a non-towered airport is surprised to observe another aircraft taking off towards him from the opposite direction. Both aircraft turn right to mitigate the conflict.