report runway incursion non-towered airport?

Me: 240 hr PP-ASEL, minding my own business, doing touch & goes at an
untowered field, and scrupulously calling my position in every leg of the
pattern.

The offender: pilot of a small Citation jet.

I saw the Citation taxiing toward the active as I was downwind. I watched
the plane carefully (suspiciously) as there was never any transmission on
the CTAF frequency. I listened to departure on my second radio; he/she
wasn't on that frequency either. When I turned base, the Citation was at
the hold short line adjacent to the active threshold. As I was on 1/4 to
1/2 mile final, the Citation suddenly took the runway and started the
takeoff roll; nary a radio call was heard. Prepared for this, I did a 360,
landed, and got the tail number from an airport employee.

Should I report this to the FAA? If so, how? When in the course of an
aviation career does someone become so complacent that they don't say "boo"
before taking an active runway?

We all see lots of idiot drivers on the road. I used to think aviation was
different, both because the training is more rigorous and because the stakes
are so much higher. With all the idiotic and careless mistakes I read about
in NTSB accident reports, I'm beginning to wonder.

Thanks for reading--I'm a little less upset after having written this down.

Report it to the FAA. That's the only way to get to these SOBs that
don't look outside and/or talk.

The offender: pilot of a small Citation jet.

Hmmm. Must be a rash of Citation-itis. On Thursday I had a similar thing
happen, in Muscatine, IA .

The wind was calm, but had recently favored Rwy 24 -- so that's the runway
we chose. (I believe it's the calm-wind runway of choice in MUT as well.)

I had just finished my run-up, and had announced that I was taking the
runway for departure when a Citation pilot announced that HE was departing
on the reciprocal runway, Rwy 06! In fact, squinting into the sun I could
see that he was already sitting on the runway, facing me, way down at the
other end, over a mile away.

He had never said "boo" until that point, and his radio transmissions were
VERY weak. Dunno if he was having trouble with the radio, or whether he
simply hadn't announced, but there we sat on the runway, like opposing cars
in a demolition derby.

He then somewhat sheepishly asked if I would mind letting him go first, as
he had a clearance delivery time he had to meet. Not being in any
particular hurry, I rolled back onto the taxiway, but it was a very
unusual -- and potentially disastrous -- situation that ended well.

All I can say is: I'm glad *I* announced.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:MivUd.71208$4q6.70081@attbi_s01...
Hmmm. Must be a rash of Citation-itis. On Thursday I had a similar thing
happen, in Muscatine, IA .

The wind was calm, but had recently favored Rwy 24 -- so that's the runway
we chose. (I believe it's the calm-wind runway of choice in MUT as well.)

I had just finished my run-up, and had announced that I was taking the
runway for departure when a Citation pilot announced that HE was departing
on the reciprocal runway, Rwy 06! In fact, squinting into the sun I
could
see that he was already sitting on the runway, facing me, way down at the
other end, over a mile away.

He had never said "boo" until that point, and his radio transmissions were
VERY weak. Dunno if he was having trouble with the radio, or whether he
simply hadn't announced, but there we sat on the runway, like opposing
cars
in a demolition derby.

He then somewhat sheepishly asked if I would mind letting him go first, as
he had a clearance delivery time he had to meet. Not being in any
particular hurry, I rolled back onto the taxiway, but it was a very
unusual -- and potentially disastrous -- situation that ended well.

All I can say is: I'm glad *I* announced.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

It's possible in your case that the pilot was on clearance delivery
frequency as he/she was scrambling to make a time. It's a good thing he
switched to CTAF and heard you. "See and avoid" is fine, but not so easy to
perform looking into a setting sun.

so.. Tell us the N number. Inquiring minds wanting to know and all...

wrote in message
ps.com...
so.. Tell us the N number. Inquiring minds wanting to know and all...

I'm glad you won't have to read about it on an NTSB report...

Joe Johnson wrote:

Should I report this to the FAA? If so, how? When in the course of an
aviation career does someone become so complacent that they don't say "boo"
before taking an active runway?

I don't know how to report it, but if a pilot has that sort of attitude, he does
not deserve to hold a commercial certificate. It's possible that he/she was on
the wrong frequency, but I think a chat with the Feds is in order.

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

That's what I was thinking wrong frequency.
"George Patterson" wrote in message
...


Joe Johnson wrote:

Should I report this to the FAA? If so, how? When in the course of an
aviation career does someone become so complacent that they don't say
"boo"
before taking an active runway?

I don't know how to report it, but if a pilot has that sort of attitude,
he does
not deserve to hold a commercial certificate. It's possible that he/she
was on
the wrong frequency, but I think a chat with the Feds is in order.

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

Isn't that the purpose of the "transmit on either com - listen on both"
switches that are on most audio panels?


"George Patterson" wrote in message
...


Joe Johnson wrote:

Should I report this to the FAA? If so, how? When in the course of an
aviation career does someone become so complacent that they don't say
"boo"
before taking an active runway?

I don't know how to report it, but if a pilot has that sort of attitude,
he does
not deserve to hold a commercial certificate. It's possible that he/she
was on
the wrong frequency, but I think a chat with the Feds is in order.

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 02:47:44 GMT, George Patterson
wrote:



Joe Johnson wrote:

Should I report this to the FAA? If so, how? When in the course of an
aviation career does someone become so complacent that they don't say "boo"
before taking an active runway?

I don't know how to report it, but if a pilot has that sort of attitude, he does
not deserve to hold a commercial certificate. It's possible that he/she was on
the wrong frequency, but I think a chat with the Feds is in order.

Although we should put out a call on UNICOM or CTAF when you have a
void time, have your departure frequency and center dialed in on one
radio and are talking to a control tower some where else via 121.275
and the person in the right seat says "all clear" I can see where
switching back to UNICOM could be missed.

Here with training, tail draggers, a preferred runway for the bigger
stuff due to a noise sensitive area and the runways cross it is not
uncommon to find both in use at the same time with some NORDO traffic.
Admittedly not a Citation. Still running 18/24 or 06/36 at the same
time with students, NORDO, and transient traffic is not at all
uncommon. Add to that, The VOR-A approach comes in on a heading of
137 degrees at 500 feet AGL while the GPS 06 and 24 approaches come
straight in from 5 miles out can make for an interesting day.
Particularly when the ceiling is about 1500 to 2000 and approach wants
you with them until it's "airport in sight". OTOH I have broken out
at close to minimums to find a windshield full of a scud runner that
ATC did not see.

We had a Falcon 900 come in a while back and he started making
announcements 12 miles out for a straight in on 06 as that was what
ATC gave them. If they missed it was going to be a hard left as we
were well inside a TFR and just over a mile from the 10 mile "no fly"
zone.

We still had a lot of traffic as we were the closest in airport that
was outside the 10 mile ring. With the TFR we didn't have any NORDO
traffic, but imagine that 900 on a 12 mile final with a couple of
NORDOs in the pattern for the intersecting runway.

As it's a safety item I'd just fill out a NASA form.
In reality whether good sense or not, they were not required to make a
transmission, and with a 1/4 to 1/2 mile they had plenty of time to
get out of your way.

Were it me I'd have just continued on in to land with an eye out for
jet wash.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.