Narrative:

I was being radar vectored from the south of atlanta by atlanta approach. I was vectored south of runways 2L and 2R at peachtree-dekalb airport and told I was cleared straight in to runway 2L or 2R, contact the tower. I started to descend from 3000 down to traffic pattern altitude and contacted the tower. On my initial contact, I told the tower I was inbound to 2L. The tower cleared me for landing and told me my traffic was an small aircraft Y on a 1 mi final. As I approached closer to the airport, I saw an aircraft land on 2L. Then at about 3/4 of a mi from the end of 2L, I noticed a single engine small aircraft Z on short final to 2R. Suddenly, an small aircraft Q turns in front of me from a left base to final on 2L. I was closing in on him. My speed was much faster. I made the decision to go around and turned to the left behind the small aircraft Q. The tower directed me to change frequency. I did and the tower operation put me on a base to 2L and cleared me to land. Also, I was told to call the tower on the ground and talk to the supervisor. I called the supervisor and we discussed the situation. She said the tower cleared me to 2R and I should have turned to the right. However, I indicated that I thought I was cleared to 2L because I called 2L on initial contact. On that assumption, I did turn the proper way. The problem: tower was really busy and both the tower controller and myself misunderstood each other. Solution: both pilot and controller must listen more carefully to avoid misunderstandings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MADE APCH TO WRONG RWY AT PDK CAUSING CLOSE PROX WITH GA SMA IN TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS BEING RADAR VECTORED FROM THE SOUTH OF ATLANTA BY ATLANTA APCH. I WAS VECTORED SOUTH OF RWYS 2L AND 2R AT PEACHTREE-DEKALB ARPT AND TOLD I WAS CLRED STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 2L OR 2R, CONTACT THE TWR. I STARTED TO DSND FROM 3000 DOWN TO TFC PATTERN ALT AND CONTACTED THE TWR. ON MY INITIAL CONTACT, I TOLD THE TWR I WAS INBND TO 2L. THE TWR CLRED ME FOR LNDG AND TOLD ME MY TFC WAS AN SMA Y ON A 1 MI FINAL. AS I APCHED CLOSER TO THE ARPT, I SAW AN ACFT LAND ON 2L. THEN AT ABOUT 3/4 OF A MI FROM THE END OF 2L, I NOTICED A SINGLE ENGINE SMA Z ON SHORT FINAL TO 2R. SUDDENLY, AN SMA Q TURNS IN FRONT OF ME FROM A LEFT BASE TO FINAL ON 2L. I WAS CLOSING IN ON HIM. MY SPEED WAS MUCH FASTER. I MADE THE DECISION TO GO AROUND AND TURNED TO THE LEFT BEHIND THE SMA Q. THE TWR DIRECTED ME TO CHANGE FREQ. I DID AND THE TWR OPERATION PUT ME ON A BASE TO 2L AND CLRED ME TO LAND. ALSO, I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TWR ON THE GND AND TALK TO THE SUPVR. I CALLED THE SUPVR AND WE DISCUSSED THE SITUATION. SHE SAID THE TWR CLRED ME TO 2R AND I SHOULD HAVE TURNED TO THE RIGHT. HOWEVER, I INDICATED THAT I THOUGHT I WAS CLRED TO 2L BECAUSE I CALLED 2L ON INITIAL CONTACT. ON THAT ASSUMPTION, I DID TURN THE PROPER WAY. THE PROBLEM: TWR WAS REALLY BUSY AND BOTH THE TWR CTLR AND MYSELF MISUNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER. SOLUTION: BOTH PLT AND CTLR MUST LISTEN MORE CAREFULLY TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.