ADS-B IN….and TCAS

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GAHorn
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ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by GAHorn »

On the way home from convention we passed thru Mansfield LA and visited briefly with Gary (Ol’ Gar) and Deanna Hanson while we ate our Subway sandwhiches. Then bought fuel and headed home on the final leg of our journey. Here’s what happened on that leg:

After departing Mansfield we cruised at 8500’ toward home… with mostly clear skies…. until I noticed that some airplane (N5801N) was gaining on us from 6-o’clock…. in his descent from 10K. I watched as N5801N continued to descend and creep up on us from behind on a slow descent…
When he was about 3 miles behind me he slowed his descent to level off at our altitude (8500’) and still gaining on me… I asked HOU CTR if they were talking to him…they replied “NO” and frankly, I was surprised HOU CTR hadn’t mentioned him to me as “traffic” (…don’t know what good flight following is if they don’t tell you about traffic…DOH!…)
The controller called N5801N a couple times without a response…now I observe him still closing-in on me at my altitude…(the ADS-B In shows him at “+00” which is my same altitude, neither above nor below)… so I decided to change heading. ATC suggested ten degrees Right for me… I said “No…I’ll turn 90-Left!” which I did. A half minute later I took the screen-shot of us having turned South and the 6-o’clock traffic continuing on-course…where he would have potentially hit us.
After he passed I waited a few miles then resumed our course paralleling his towards our home. I observed on the ADS-B that he landed at Georgetown (GTU).

Today I researched the registration to find it is a Mooney (owned by a LLC) and called GTU to locate the owner…the city FBO was reluctant to give me his name but agreed to give him my number to call.
He did call me a few minutes ago and we talked. He was guarded at first, until I reassured him I only wanted us both to learn from this. He claimed to have ADS-B based TCAS but never rec’d a warning. He said he saw me only after I turned South when I was about a mile to his left….and he thought nothing much about it.
I informed him we might have traded paint if I’d not turned-away. It was a good conversation and learning experience I think. I suggested he use flight-following since his TCAS doesn’t work well. I informed him that MY Fly-Q traffic-alert gave me a 15 mile warning** of him…and that in less than 3 minutes I had to take the evasive action. Hopefully he learned something from this. I certainly did.

Here’s the screen shots of the near-miss.(Click on the pic for an ENLARGEMENT) We are the small airplane icon…the closing traffic is identified by N5801N…The Magenta-Line was my flight-plan-course-line….it appears that we might have collided in about 30-secs if we’d not changed heading:
6D0A9E49-462B-4B79-859D-2A942AFC0A45.png
** Notice the “15 nm Traffic Circle surrounding my own airplane-icon. This Fly-Q program feature presents “threat” aircraft within that circle, which is a cylinder/column of airspace 15nm in radius and 3,500’ above/below, and prevents non-threat aircraft from being displayed, thereby “de-cluttering” the depiction…. unless a “threat” aircraft comes within that surrounding airspace. A “threat” aircraft is displayed in black-and-white if more than approx 5 miles… Amber in color if less than 5 miles…and Red if imminent. When he displayed in Amber I made an immediate left-turn.
In retrospect, I suppose a 45-degree turn would have placed more distance between us than a 90-turn did, since we were traveling same-direction. Of course, it’s good to remember that if You ever experience a near-collision that the fastest way to avoid a collision is that a change of ALTITUDE is usually more effective than a change of course. I chose the course-change instead of altitude-change because as he was descending from above-and-behind….he was both above AND below me during that time. An altitude change by me could have either accelerated our closure…or prolonged it.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
voorheesh
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by voorheesh »

George, The FAA has a voluntary reporting system for anyone who believes a safety issue is outstanding and follow up might help improve the system. https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publica ... _1.16.html. This link contains info on Near Midair Collision (NMACs). How to report, etc.

You might also file a NASA ASRS report because your experience with traffic data from ADS-B In would be helpful if shared with any pilot using their system for safety awareness purposes.

I don’t believe your story would be considered a near midair collision because you were aware of the other aircraft presence in time to take evasive action. However, if you believe otherwise, I would urge you to report it. As I’m sure you know, ATC has specific criteria for making traffic alerts to pilots receiving VFR advisories and IFR users. You may have contacted them about the 6 o’clock traffic before the proximity and closure rate called for them to take action. The FAA defines a near midair as 500’ or less separation or a report from a pilot or controller indicating “concern”. (Of course their ATC traffic alert criteria is far greater than 500’).

All reports are investigated and forensic radar data is now accurate enough to determine the nearly exact number of feet involved. The FAA also utilizes a computer audit program that finds loss of separation events missed by controllers and not otherwise reported. These are reviewed by ATC QC and investigated for the purpose of maintaining system reliability. I’m bringing all this up only so others may know these reports are taken very seriously and the FAA puts great effort into enhancing the “see and avoid” practice that has been the basis for collision avoidance since the very beginning. Communication with controllers is typically routine. You would be impressed with the intensity of the QC Specialists who’s job it is to make sure everything is working properly.

I think your write up is very helpful in reminding all of us of Midair collision hazards and the value of ADS-B technology. I use Foreflight based data in flight and while it is helpful, it is not reliable enough to even diminish the constant need for traffic scanning and awareness. It needs connection with internet which can be intermittent in flight. If you haven’t in a previous post, can you explain how your system works? Is it on a portable device? Does it Bluetooth with your aircraft ADS-B or does it require internet access?

Thanks for a good account of your flight.
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GAHorn
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by GAHorn »

Thanks, Harlow. Yes, the recommendations of a NASA report were already accomplished the next day. The report to FAA/ATC is a good idea, thx for the link.
The Fly-Q program is very similar to ForeFlight… but I prefer it for several reasons:
1-It is not owned by Jeppesen/Boeing (with the resultant penalties of being their potential victim)
2-It provides all VFR and IFR charting and procedures and updates as a free benefit (no longer forcing me to buy charts and updates. AND, btw, it includes the U.S, Canada, AK, Carribean, Mexico/Central-Am, North-Atlantic, …on and on and on.) :wink:
3-Fly-Q is/was (promotionally) offered to CFIs for $20/year and subsequently $300/lifetime (definitely a fantastic bargain)
4-It can be downloaded without addt’l charge up to 3 additional devices (so I use it on my IPad-Pro, my wifes smaller/more cockpit-friendly Ipad Mini, and my Android Cell-phone, providing full coverage of navigation, flight planning, flight-following, traffic-alerts, Weather/Metars, several WX-Radar services, satellite WX, Fuel-pricing at airports, and other features…all for no addt’l charges. (Thank you Karl Towle for first bringing Fly-Q to my attention 3 years ago.)

The Fly-Q / I-pad combo is very simple to operate and grabs onto my uAvionics ADS-B SkySensor seamlessly, and also operates via BlueTooth to my Headset/Cell ph. (It also works with Garmin, Stratus, and other ADS-B/In devices.)

I used Fly-Q very reliably to circumnavigate a number of weather systems on the way to convention and back, both with and without ATC flight following.

Here’s a depiction from FlightAware of my flight between fuel stops from HZL-PA to HBI-AL. (The irregular flight-path was due mainly to the fact we were VFR at 6500’ using flight-following and navigating around clouds with bases down around 2K AGL to 7K AGL.) I was able to penetrate that line of TRWs passing thru the Greensboro, Al area in visual conditons using the Fly-Q radar matrix. (ATC was continuously worrying about us. Greensboro TRACON remarked their “tower” was “shaking”…but we thanked and reassured them and overflew the KBUY (Burlington AL) runway and had 3 miles viz all the way thru the squall-line and broke-out into 20 mile viz in sunshine, largely due to the Fly-Q radar depiction. The green areas of radar were only “bug removal” light rain.)
CLICK on pic to ENLARGE
CLICK on pic to ENLARGE
We purchased fuel at HBI and departed ahead of that rapidly-approaching line and flew west to spend the night with my friend (and former co-worker SimuFlight Lead I.P. and fellow TIC170A Member) Bob Lavery in Blairsville, GA (DZJ). Getting into DZJ at night is a real challenge! It sits in a “bowl” of mountains which are invisible at night, but Bob and Fly-Q (Height Above Terrain feature) kept me above the rocks until I was over the valley for descent onto downwind for Rwy 8.) (Disregard the ALT indication on this pic below…that screenshot was taken during climbout to the cruise at 8500’. MEAs east of DZJ are up to 7K’)
Attachments
CLICK on pic to ENLARGE
CLICK on pic to ENLARGE
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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GAHorn
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by GAHorn »

I’m going to swallow my pride and tell on myself…in the hopes to remind my friends that we can all fall victim to being in a “hurry”.

After passing thru the line of TRWs we landed at Ashboro (HBI) for fuel. Two things about this fuel stop:

1- I was reminded that trusting someone else to “top off” the tanks is a potential mistake.
We had landed at HZL PA earlier for fuel and rec’d lackadaisical line-support for refueling. I asked him to “top off the tanks”….and made the potential error of thinking it may help the man avoid splashing himself with fuel to tell him how much I estimated it might take per wing. So that he might anticipate it…and slow-down the delivery as the tanks reached Full…..I commented, “about 15 gals is what it should take…”

He “topped it off” and to the reassurance of my self-esteem… I noted he charged me 30.2 gals. (Right-On the estimate! I must be good…heh?)

We departed for some yet-to-be-decided re-fueling destination in N.C or Alabama…which turned out to be Asheboro (HBI).
I always plan to burn 8 gph, and with 37 gal useable that is 4.6 hours of endurance…so I always PLAN to land at 3.5 hrs… but am aware and comfortable as long as I’m on the ground (Day/VFR) by 4 hrs… I feel I’m “OK”. (FAR 91.151)

After passing thru the line of TRWs just East of Greensboro (depicted in the above post)… I wanted to get a bit further South of that advancing line to grab some fuel and proceed to fly West to Blairsville, GA where we would spend the night with our friends the Lavery’s. It was about 3.5 hrs when we burst thru that line and into severe-clear …and we turned SouthWest toward HBI. A few quick checks revealed we’d land at 4 hrs flight-time and the fuel gauge needles were stationary on the right…bouncing on the left…but bouncing. I was paying attention, but the results made sense to me and with the silliness built-in to these type gauges….I was confident we’d be landing with at least 30 mins of fuel. (But to tell the truth, I did make the approach on the “high side” with a steep final approach to a straight-in landing on Rwy 21. (no traffic…no one else so dumb to fly near this strong front)

We landed exactly at 4 hrs with the line of TRWs about 20 miles behind us and refueled. It took exactly 37 gallons. 8O

:oops: :oops:

:evil: (I hadn’t actually “dip-sticked” or stuck a finger into the tanks after Mr. Lackadaisical pulled the truck away back in Hazelton. :evil:

But Yep. It’s really my own %$& fault on that.)

Lesson learned: Do not count on fuel you haven’t “dipsticked” or re-fueled yourself.

2- By the time we were ready to depart the line of TRWs were approaching the North airport boundary…. about 2 or 3 miles away…and the winds were Dead Calm. The only Runway 3/21 would give us the choice..Take off toward/into the line of TRWs….or Take off Away from them…and more aligned with our flight-plan-route to the SouthWest. Taxying out from the pumps the wind remained Dead Calm…so I chose runway 21 rather than to take off towards/into that rapidly approaching line.
I did the “runup” while taxying, turned onto 21 and applied power. As we accelerated down the runway…the mid-field wind sock was still Dead….hanging perfectly Limp.
But, As the tail came up off the concrete… I was shocked to see that wind sock “snap” from Limp….to STARCHED… STRAIGHT…. and felt the airplane get a blast of tailwind! It became a bit “squirrelly” …but with a blasting tailwind it was clear that a reject would likely result in a ground-loop or nose-over… so there seemed nothing to do but continue. “Dang”, I said to Jamie, “look at that windsock!”

As the airplane became “light” on the mains I glanced at saw 60 mph on the IAS so I applied gentle back-pressure on the yoke and the airplane lifted off the runway…and the wind shifted to a stong-gusting, Quartering-Right tailwind which blew us to the left…over the grass now between the runway and the taxiway. We were flying parallel to the runway but side-ways facing Westerly. The IAS was fluctuating wildly and no discernible acceleration was evident. We were about 20 feet above the grass and the South boundary was rapidly approaching…with a house on a hill ahead…and a slight depression to the SouthWest of the airport boundary.
I made every effort to remain in level flight …seeking more airspeed before attempting a climb away from the tops of the pines….moderate turbulence and the IAS still wild and seeming stuck on 60. To avoid the upcoming house/hill I began a slight right-bank to turn more into the wind gusting now from the right …but doing my best to avoid too much bank so as to not increase stall speed while still needing to get more distance above the pine trees. I remarked a warning to Jamie…”This is bad. Real bad, Jamie…is your harness tight?” (I was not certain we could remain out of the trees if a down-burst caught us.) We were in Clear Sunny Skies… with a wall of dark storm only about a mile at our back…but the wind shears we were experiencing was killing our performnce.
Slowly (seemed like forever)..the IAS came up to 65-70 and I felt we could pitch up a bit for altitude, and we did so. The rest of the clmb-out was moderately bumpy but at normal speeds (80-85) and we eventually got away from the front.

Mentally… I was cursing myself. I am too experienced a pilot to have made this dumb mistake of ignoring the possibility…the Probability…of a Gust-Front coming out of that close line of TRWs. The burst of tailwind caught me at the worst possible moment during that takeoff…. just after the tail came up. I am really ashamed and embarrassed to have endangered my wife and to have done that.

I hope sharing this will reinforce the old CFIs adage: Do what I say and not what I do.
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'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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c170b53
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by c170b53 »

Thanks George, I’m continually reminded about how little I know about the weather, by the weather. The more I fly, the more I learn about it but often I’m given a new lesson.
Jim McIntosh..
1953 C170B S/N 25656
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4583C
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by 4583C »

George, I’ve always heard “Confession is good for the soul” and the telling of this tale may save somebody else from a similar fate. Does this mean I’m no longer sworn to silence? :lol:
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johneeb
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by johneeb »

4583C wrote:George, I’ve always heard “Confession is good for the soul” and the telling of this tale may save somebody else from a similar fate. Does this mean I’m no longer sworn to silence? :lol:
Holy Cow, Paul what does George have on you that would keep you silent?
John E. Barrett
aka. Johneb

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voorheesh
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Re: ADS-B IN….and TCAS

Post by voorheesh »

George, Thank you for your story and safety lessons, something we all can use. I used to investigate aviation accidents and possibly the worst I encountered was a Piper Aerostar that suffered a stall spin into a citrus grove about a mile from the Famosa airport/drag strip near Bakersfield, CA. 3 pilots lost their lives after running out of fuel on an IFR flight from Roseburg, OR originally destined to John Wayne (SNA). The pilot/owner had recently downsized from a King Air and declined a checkout in his new Aerostar, apparently thinking it was an easy transition. He was taking an older military pilot (war hero) home to California and had offered a ride to a lady pilot based in Roseburg. “Come check out my new plane, I’ll have you back home by dinner”. He mentioned that his charitable flight was also a way for him to gain experience.

Nearing Sacramento, he notified ATC he needed a fuel stop and chose Bakersfield, overflying at least 5 other locations where he could have added fuel. He lost both engines just past Delano and advised he would make an emergency landing in Famosa but came up a mile short. There were 2 farm workers who witnessed this accident and reported through an interpreter that the airplane came overhead quietly rocking its wings followed by a vertical dive. It was really awful.

The evening before the flight the pilot called the Roseburg FBO and asked for the plane to be pulled out of his hangar and fueled (topped off). Then asked to leave it right out front. The pavement in front of his hangar was at an angle and the line boy was unaware of the fueling procedures in the Aerostar flight manual concerning making sure the tanks were full. They were not. During our investigation, I interviewed this line boy by telephone and he believed that he had caused the accident by some kind of mistake or oversight. No one explained how to fuel an Aerostar or helped him on his first time with that plane. He was literally in tears and nothing I could say made him feel any better. I was concerned enough to call his boss and ask him to try and reassure his employee. I hope he eventually figured out what happened and then learned from it. It certainly was not his fault, even remotely.

We could not determine if this pilot was aware of how to fuel his airplane. He was not present when the line boy put the fuel on. We also have no idea what the pilot was thinking when he passed up closer VFR fuel stops nor could we figure out what if any discussion or collaboration occurred between the 3 pilots on board. What we concluded was that this pilot did not know how much fuel was on board when he departed. He thought it was full, but it wasn’t. Even if it has been full, it would still not make his original plan. This has to be a tragedy we can learn from.

One last really disturbing factor was the wide unobstructed farm Lane next to the citrus grove he could have easily performed a safe landing on. Was he determined to make the runway? Was he worried about talking to the FAA if he landed off airport? Maybe trying to save his new plane? These are relevant questions for all of us pilots, just like the ones in your story. Well worth a few minutes on the Cessna 170 forum.
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