No Call to Close Call: Keep Vigilant Even on Familiar Runway

Routine instructional flight turns into a heart-stopping moment when two aircraft unexpectedly meet on a hidden runway.

Tim Thompson

Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Be especially vigilant on runways you are most comfortable with. [Illustration: Joel Kimmel]

Key Takeaways:

A pilot experienced a near head-on collision during landing at an uncontrolled grass strip with a blind spot, despite following standard procedures and checking the traffic display.
Contributing factors included the other aircraft's lack of CTAF calls, the runway's unique hilly topography obscuring sight, and the pilot's traffic display being set to too close a range.
The incident highlighted the critical importance of continuous vigilance, using all available anti-collision aids, appropriately adjusting electronic traffic display ranges, and never assuming a clear runway.

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One beautiful morning, I rolled up to a grass strip in Florida just before the sun came up. I noticed a Cessna 182 completing his run-up and watched him depart as I rolled back the hangar doors. I was going to meet my friend Charley for an early morning instructional flight in a light sport aircraft (LSA) I was considering purchasing, and I wanted to get a head start on my preflight.

Our taxi and departure to the east was smooth and the climbout from the undulating runway was beautiful as the sun peeked over the horizon.