Narrative:

I initiated contact 15 mi west and was told to report 5 mi, which I did. I was then instructed to expect runway 4L and report base. I turned on the landing light so the tower controller could spot me a little easier. I overheard the controller ask if another plane in pattern could accept runway 4R. The other aircraft responded affirmatively. A third plane was headed for runway 32L. The third plane initiated a conversation with the tower personnel and I was unable to report base. As I reached the turn for final, I had still not been able to break in to report my position. I began the turn for final when I noticed a high wing plane also on final. I had a moment of indecision about whether or not to follow another plane so closely (I was seemingly faster than the other aircraft). I didn't know his intentions and did not want to fly over him in the pattern if he was touch-and-go traffic. In my indecision, I flew through final and was going to turn into the airport and fly down the side of the runway, but I was unsure of where the traffic was for runway 32L. I then saw the traffic for runway 4R on its downwind, so I entered a 360 degree turn away from the airport environment. The tower controller gave instructions to another aircraft, then inquired as to who was 'doing loops,' they cleared me to land and no further incident occurred. In retrospect, I believe the correct answer would be to turn final, but initiate an immediate climb to pattern altitude. (I am puzzled about why I missed all communication between the aircraft on final and the tower.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL FAILED TO FOLLOW TWR INSTRUCTIONS BY NOT TURNING FINAL AT COMPLETION OF BASE LEG AS EXPECTED BY TWR.

Narrative: I INITIATED CONTACT 15 MI W AND WAS TOLD TO RPT 5 MI, WHICH I DID. I WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO EXPECT RWY 4L AND RPT BASE. I TURNED ON THE LNDG LIGHT SO THE TWR CTLR COULD SPOT ME A LITTLE EASIER. I OVERHEARD THE CTLR ASK IF ANOTHER PLANE IN PATTERN COULD ACCEPT RWY 4R. THE OTHER ACFT RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY. A THIRD PLANE WAS HEADED FOR RWY 32L. THE THIRD PLANE INITIATED A CONVERSATION WITH THE TWR PERSONNEL AND I WAS UNABLE TO RPT BASE. AS I REACHED THE TURN FOR FINAL, I HAD STILL NOT BEEN ABLE TO BREAK IN TO RPT MY POS. I BEGAN THE TURN FOR FINAL WHEN I NOTICED A HIGH WING PLANE ALSO ON FINAL. I HAD A MOMENT OF INDECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO FOLLOW ANOTHER PLANE SO CLOSELY (I WAS SEEMINGLY FASTER THAN THE OTHER ACFT). I DIDN'T KNOW HIS INTENTIONS AND DID NOT WANT TO FLY OVER HIM IN THE PATTERN IF HE WAS TOUCH-AND-GO TFC. IN MY INDECISION, I FLEW THROUGH FINAL AND WAS GOING TO TURN INTO THE ARPT AND FLY DOWN THE SIDE OF THE RWY, BUT I WAS UNSURE OF WHERE THE TFC WAS FOR RWY 32L. I THEN SAW THE TFC FOR RWY 4R ON ITS DOWNWIND, SO I ENTERED A 360 DEG TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. THE TWR CTLR GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO ANOTHER ACFT, THEN INQUIRED AS TO WHO WAS 'DOING LOOPS,' THEY CLRED ME TO LAND AND NO FURTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE THE CORRECT ANSWER WOULD BE TO TURN FINAL, BUT INITIATE AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO PATTERN ALT. (I AM PUZZLED ABOUT WHY I MISSED ALL COM BTWN THE ACFT ON FINAL AND THE TWR.)

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.