Narrative:

At the end of a local pleasure flight, I was in contact with coast approach being vectored to a straight in approach to runway 1L at sna. I was directed to the final approach path behind an airliner just ahead. I was directed to make best speed to the runway due to following traffic, another airliner, an light transport, I believe. When directed to switch frequency to the sna tower, it was obvious the numerous aircraft were in the pattern for runway 1L, in addition to the 3, including myself, on straight in. One of the aircraft on downwind had the same call sign as mine with the exception of the last letter. After my report to the tower and clearance given to land, that aircraft reported turning to base and the tower gave him clearance to land also. It was apparent the controller thought he was dealing with 1 aircraft instead of 2. I was unable to break in on the frequency due to the heavy controller workload until he was turning base to final directly in front of me. At this point, the controller directed me to immediately start a left 360 degree turn. This caused me to pass between 2 other aircraft in close proximity that were themselves turning on downwind and base. Completion of the turn brought me back into the final approach course directly in front of the light transport that had been following me on final previously. The controller then directed a second 360 which when completed was followed by landing. I feel the ctlrþs workload was too high and attention to detail diminished, which allowed the identify mistake. I feel that I should have been directed to go around rather than to make 360 degree turns in the middle of a crowded pattern. The hazard level to myself and other aircraft was totally unacceptable. Note: on rollout after landing the controller involved again called me by the other planeþs call sign.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC DURING A TFC PATTERN PROC.

Narrative: AT THE END OF A LCL PLEASURE FLT, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH COAST APCH BEING VECTORED TO A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 1L AT SNA. I WAS DIRECTED TO THE FINAL APCH PATH BEHIND AN AIRLINER JUST AHEAD. I WAS DIRECTED TO MAKE BEST SPD TO THE RWY DUE TO FOLLOWING TFC, ANOTHER AIRLINER, AN LTT, I BELIEVE. WHEN DIRECTED TO SWITCH FREQ TO THE SNA TWR, IT WAS OBVIOUS THE NUMEROUS ACFT WERE IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 1L, IN ADDITION TO THE 3, INCLUDING MYSELF, ON STRAIGHT IN. ONE OF THE ACFT ON DOWNWIND HAD THE SAME CALL SIGN AS MINE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LAST LETTER. AFTER MY RPT TO THE TWR AND CLRNC GIVEN TO LAND, THAT ACFT RPTED TURNING TO BASE AND THE TWR GAVE HIM CLRNC TO LAND ALSO. IT WAS APPARENT THE CTLR THOUGHT HE WAS DEALING WITH 1 ACFT INSTEAD OF 2. I WAS UNABLE TO BREAK IN ON THE FREQ DUE TO THE HVY CTLR WORKLOAD UNTIL HE WAS TURNING BASE TO FINAL DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR DIRECTED ME TO IMMEDIATELY START A L 360 DEG TURN. THIS CAUSED ME TO PASS BTWN 2 OTHER ACFT IN CLOSE PROX THAT WERE THEMSELVES TURNING ON DOWNWIND AND BASE. COMPLETION OF THE TURN BROUGHT ME BACK INTO THE FINAL APCH COURSE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE LTT THAT HAD BEEN FOLLOWING ME ON FINAL PREVIOUSLY. THE CTLR THEN DIRECTED A SECOND 360 WHICH WHEN COMPLETED WAS FOLLOWED BY LNDG. I FEEL THE CTLRþS WORKLOAD WAS TOO HIGH AND ATTN TO DETAIL DIMINISHED, WHICH ALLOWED THE IDENT MISTAKE. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO GAR RATHER THAN TO MAKE 360 DEG TURNS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWDED PATTERN. THE HAZARD LEVEL TO MYSELF AND OTHER ACFT WAS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. NOTE: ON ROLLOUT AFTER LNDG THE CTLR INVOLVED AGAIN CALLED ME BY THE OTHER PLANEþS CALL SIGN.

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.