Narrative:

On IFR flight plan, being vectored by orl approach for orl airport. I accepted the visual, although it was hazy and the runway in use meant a landing into the sun. Maintained 1600 ft as requested, with autoplt. Saw runway when estimated 1/2 mi from it and notified approach and told to call tower. Contacted tower about over the numbers and stated that I'd need a '360 degree turn.' tower said to turn north. I complied, on autoplt, and crossed over a C172 on a right downwind for runway 25. Cessna appeared to be well below me. Pilot of cessna was a student with an instructor. The instructor apparently nosed his aircraft down in an avoidance maneuver, feeling I was too close in altitude. (I later met with the instructor to discuss the situation and to reassure him that there was reasonable clearance and to let him know how it all transpired, which he appreciated). Contributing factors and corrective actions: 1) my acceptance of a 'visual' in haze (at an unfamiliar airport). 2) approach should not have allowed me to get almost to the numbers before vectoring me for the runway 25 approach. 3) tower should have had me fly runway heading till clear of downwind traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA46 IS VECTORED FOR VISUAL APCH BUT IS HIGH AND REQUESTS A 360 DEG TURN. TWR ISSUES R 360 DEG TURN WHICH PLACES ACFT ABOVE A C172 ON DOWNWIND. C172 TAKES EVASIVE ACTION.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN, BEING VECTORED BY ORL APCH FOR ORL ARPT. I ACCEPTED THE VISUAL, ALTHOUGH IT WAS HAZY AND THE RWY IN USE MEANT A LNDG INTO THE SUN. MAINTAINED 1600 FT AS REQUESTED, WITH AUTOPLT. SAW RWY WHEN ESTIMATED 1/2 MI FROM IT AND NOTIFIED APCH AND TOLD TO CALL TWR. CONTACTED TWR ABOUT OVER THE NUMBERS AND STATED THAT I'D NEED A '360 DEG TURN.' TWR SAID TO TURN N. I COMPLIED, ON AUTOPLT, AND CROSSED OVER A C172 ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 25. CESSNA APPEARED TO BE WELL BELOW ME. PLT OF CESSNA WAS A STUDENT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. THE INSTRUCTOR APPARENTLY NOSED HIS ACFT DOWN IN AN AVOIDANCE MANEUVER, FEELING I WAS TOO CLOSE IN ALT. (I LATER MET WITH THE INSTRUCTOR TO DISCUSS THE SIT AND TO REASSURE HIM THAT THERE WAS REASONABLE CLRNC AND TO LET HIM KNOW HOW IT ALL TRANSPIRED, WHICH HE APPRECIATED). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) MY ACCEPTANCE OF A 'VISUAL' IN HAZE (AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT). 2) APCH SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO GET ALMOST TO THE NUMBERS BEFORE VECTORING ME FOR THE RWY 25 APCH. 3) TWR SHOULD HAVE HAD ME FLY RWY HDG TILL CLR OF DOWNWIND TFC.

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.