PLT526: Near Midair Collision Report
What code PLT526 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Near Midair Collision Report before your checkride.
Recall near midair collision report
What this means for your checkride
A near midair collision is an incident in which the possibility of collision occurs from two aircraft coming closer than 500 feet, or in which a pilot or flight crewmember reports that a collision hazard existed. It is the responsibility of the pilot or flight crew to report a near midair collision to the nearest FAA facility, and the reports are used to improve the safety of the airspace, not to take enforcement action.
Near midair collision reports feed the FAA analysis of collision hazards in the system, so the FAA tests what qualifies as a near midair collision and the pilot's responsibility to report it.
Filing the report is the responsibility of the pilot who perceived the hazard, and its purpose is safety analysis, so a pilot should not withhold a report for fear it will be used against them.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.