Narrative:

On right downwind at wichita, approach control cleared us for visibility approach for runway 1L while a light twin was conducting a practice approach to the airport. At first, we were told to stay at 3500' until turning final. Then, we were asked to keep our pattern within 3 mi final, which necessitated starting a descent to make a safe approach to the runway. Upon turning right base, we switched to tower 118.2. I saw the light twin converging on our left side coalt, and thought he was going for the same runway as we were. The captain confirmed that I was flying a correct pattern to the correct runway, and to ensure safe sep between aircraft, I steepened the right bank and lowered the nose. The twin passed behind us. Although approach had called the traffic when we turned base, we did not see him until turning base to final. When we did see conflicting aircraft, he was 300' vertically and 1/4 to 1/2 mi horizontally. After landing the PIC (captain) called approach via telephone to discuss this situation. It was his opinion that it was a miscom on both parts and that no enforcement action would be taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG ADVISED TO MAINTAIN 3500' UNTIL TURNING FINAL WERE THEN TOLD TO KEEP THEIR PATTERN WITHIN 3 MI OF ARPT. FO FLYING TURNED TOWARD FINAL AND DESCENDED AND ENCOUNTERED TRAFFIC THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN AS ADVISORY BUT FLT HAD NOT SEEN UNTIL IN CLOSE PROX.

Narrative: ON R DOWNWIND AT WICHITA, APCH CTL CLRED US FOR VIS APCH FOR RWY 1L WHILE A LIGHT TWIN WAS CONDUCTING A PRACTICE APCH TO THE ARPT. AT FIRST, WE WERE TOLD TO STAY AT 3500' UNTIL TURNING FINAL. THEN, WE WERE ASKED TO KEEP OUR PATTERN WITHIN 3 MI FINAL, WHICH NECESSITATED STARTING A DSNT TO MAKE A SAFE APCH TO THE RWY. UPON TURNING R BASE, WE SWITCHED TO TWR 118.2. I SAW THE LIGHT TWIN CONVERGING ON OUR L SIDE COALT, AND THOUGHT HE WAS GOING FOR THE SAME RWY AS WE WERE. THE CAPT CONFIRMED THAT I WAS FLYING A CORRECT PATTERN TO THE CORRECT RWY, AND TO ENSURE SAFE SEP BTWN ACFT, I STEEPENED THE R BANK AND LOWERED THE NOSE. THE TWIN PASSED BEHIND US. ALTHOUGH APCH HAD CALLED THE TFC WHEN WE TURNED BASE, WE DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL TURNING BASE TO FINAL. WHEN WE DID SEE CONFLICTING ACFT, HE WAS 300' VERTICALLY AND 1/4 TO 1/2 MI HORIZLY. AFTER LNDG THE PIC (CAPT) CALLED APCH VIA TELEPHONE TO DISCUSS THIS SITUATION. IT WAS HIS OPINION THAT IT WAS A MISCOM ON BOTH PARTS AND THAT NO ENFORCEMENT ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.