Narrative:

'Follow the Y on final.' since I was on final and in a Y. I thought he was referring to me, as I was going to arrive soon. Slowing appropriately for the distance. At about 4 mi out I was preparing to announce my 3 mi final. Still looking far ahead for the plane on left base when I saw another plane landing, and then questioned whether there was another Y on final at the same time as me. I then saw the plane on left base, which was on left base way out there and on a collision course with my plane. I had plenty of time to execute a steep turn and turn 180 degree to outbound course. I announced my turn and the reason why, although my terminology was not standard, I think I finally made sense what had happened. I asked for instructions and was told to fly toward the south end of the field. I was then southeast of the airport and between runways 3 and 31, heading west. The tower told me to make a right base to 21, which is impossible from there, and I refused the clearance, told them why and requested new instructions. The controller told me again to make a right base to 21, and I told him again that was not appropriate for my present position. He then realized what I was saying and authorized a left base for 31. He later apologized for his confusion. Once on the ground I found a letter in the FBO saying ATC training was being conducted and to refuse inappropriate clrncs. If I had made such an error I suspect my license would be suspended. My suggestions are for such a high density aircraft activity for a non-radar airport to publish a standard arrival procedure that would simplify the aircraft sequencing, and to place experienced controllers in charge at the time, and reserve trainees to routine traffic. If it was an experienced controller, then neither problem should have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA APCHING FOE HAD NMAC WITH ANOTHER SMA IN TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: 'FOLLOW THE Y ON FINAL.' SINCE I WAS ON FINAL AND IN A Y. I THOUGHT HE WAS REFERRING TO ME, AS I WAS GOING TO ARRIVE SOON. SLOWING APPROPRIATELY FOR THE DISTANCE. AT ABOUT 4 MI OUT I WAS PREPARING TO ANNOUNCE MY 3 MI FINAL. STILL LOOKING FAR AHEAD FOR THE PLANE ON L BASE WHEN I SAW ANOTHER PLANE LNDG, AND THEN QUESTIONED WHETHER THERE WAS ANOTHER Y ON FINAL AT THE SAME TIME AS ME. I THEN SAW THE PLANE ON L BASE, WHICH WAS ON L BASE WAY OUT THERE AND ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH MY PLANE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO EXECUTE A STEEP TURN AND TURN 180 DEG TO OUTBOUND COURSE. I ANNOUNCED MY TURN AND THE REASON WHY, ALTHOUGH MY TERMINOLOGY WAS NOT STANDARD, I THINK I FINALLY MADE SENSE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I ASKED FOR INSTRUCTIONS AND WAS TOLD TO FLY TOWARD THE S END OF THE FIELD. I WAS THEN SE OF THE ARPT AND BTWN RWYS 3 AND 31, HDG W. THE TWR TOLD ME TO MAKE A R BASE TO 21, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FROM THERE, AND I REFUSED THE CLRNC, TOLD THEM WHY AND REQUESTED NEW INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR TOLD ME AGAIN TO MAKE A R BASE TO 21, AND I TOLD HIM AGAIN THAT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MY PRESENT POS. HE THEN REALIZED WHAT I WAS SAYING AND AUTHORIZED A L BASE FOR 31. HE LATER APOLOGIZED FOR HIS CONFUSION. ONCE ON THE GND I FOUND A LETTER IN THE FBO SAYING ATC TRAINING WAS BEING CONDUCTED AND TO REFUSE INAPPROPRIATE CLRNCS. IF I HAD MADE SUCH AN ERROR I SUSPECT MY LICENSE WOULD BE SUSPENDED. MY SUGGESTIONS ARE FOR SUCH A HIGH DENSITY ACFT ACTIVITY FOR A NON-RADAR ARPT TO PUBLISH A STANDARD ARR PROC THAT WOULD SIMPLIFY THE ACFT SEQUENCING, AND TO PLACE EXPERIENCED CTLRS IN CHARGE AT THE TIME, AND RESERVE TRAINEES TO ROUTINE TFC. IF IT WAS AN EXPERIENCED CTLR, THEN NEITHER PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED.

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.