Date: 202005
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: PWT.Airport, WA
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft
Operator: FBO
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class G PWT
ATC / advisory: UNICOM PWT
Second aircraft: Small Aircraft
Reporter organization: FBO
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Workload
Anomaly: Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I had taken off from Runway 2 at Bremerton.  I had announced taking the runway for departure; closed traffic.  The sky was clear and it was a busier pattern than the last few weeks I had flown.  I heard another [Aircraft Y] call in stating they were setting up for 45 to the right downwind for 2; but didn't see them.  At 1;100 feet MSL I made my turn to the right crosswind and made my call.  At 1;300 feet MSL I suddenly saw Aircraft Y almost directly above me about 100 feet turning onto the right downwind.  I immediately stopped my climb and turned slightly left.  At the same time; I heard the traffic call that they were looking for the traffic on crosswind and couldn't see them.  I was still a little shaken and hesitated on responding; then I heard them call that they could see me below.  I slowed my speed in the pattern and stayed at 1;300 feet (normal TPA 1;450) to keep them in front of me.Looking back; there were a few things I could have done better:1) I could have made a radio call as soon as I saw Aircraft Y.  It startled me and my first thought was to arrest the climb and maintain spacing; then it took me a moment to recover and call the traffic; but I should have called out.2) After the near miss; I made a touch and go.  I should have made it a full stop; taken a few moments to collect my thoughts; because it rattled me for the next few minutes.This made me question the efficacy of the 45 to the downwind pattern entry.  When I started returning to flying a few weeks ago; during my BFR I started a 45 to a left downwind.  My instructor noted that I was going to enter the pattern towards the crosswind leg of the field rather than at midfield.  It can be hard to judge whether you're going to join at midfield; especially at airports with shorter runways.  I wonder if it would be effective to approach at a 90 degree angle to the downwind; with the full traffic pattern in view; which makes it easy to join the pattern midfield.  Additionally; having the joining airplane make a 90-degree turn to enter the pattern makes the joining airplane more visible through the movement of the wings.  The 45 to a right downwind (versus a left downwind) puts traffic on the passenger side of the airplane and requires extra vigilance from the pilot.  I believe this was what happened with the other plane: their 45 to the right downwind had them join the pattern at the junction of the crosswind and downwind legs; rather than midfield.




Synopsis: Pilot reported a NMAC while in a traffic pattern with another aircraft that was wanting to land.