Remind me again how many mid-airs have happened through OHJs in the last 5 years or so?
It can be stressful, but so can joining at any point in the circuit.
Why the last 5 years? Why not remind ME? I risk assess everything I do.
I don't like overhead joins because of my perception of risk and from personal experiences.
Answer this: You call "Overhead, joining for runway **" as you begin your descent. You realise your transmission was almost simulataneous with that of another pilot who calls exactly the same.
You have seen no other aircraft, apart from those already in the circuit. Where do you look and what do you do to prevent an accident?
it may not always be possible to plan the descent so as to arrive back at the crosswind point overhead the runway at circuit height at the end of the descent.
Exactly. One must fit in with other aircraft in the circuit. A rigid point to actually fit in cannot possibly work on all occasions, especially if the "pattern is almost full". This is where the (level) deadside join has a big advantage, as I tried to put forward. The pilot extends upwind to pass behind traffic already downwind, where necessary.