PA28-181 pilot makes spacing turn in the traffic pattern without the proper clearance.

Attributes
ACN	453000
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : acy.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : acy.tower tower : jst.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : acy.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : visual arrival : on vectors arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 445
ASRS Report	453000
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on right downwind for runway 31, and was cleared to land, #2 behind a piper navajo. The navajo extended his downwind and I also extended my downwind since I was told to follow him. Behind me was a piper arrow. The controller told the arrow that he was #4 (though he was really #3), and cleared him to land. When the navajo was on final to runway 31, I started a turn to right base. The arrow was behind me and requested to turn base so that he could land in front of me. I asked the arrow where he was, and he responded that he was inside of me. The controller said 'arrow, you are running the show.' I did not have the arrow in sight and was concerned about a possible collision on final, so instead of making a right turn to final, I decided to circle to the left. The controller was mad and asked me what I was doing. The controller vectored me back to a long final, and cleared for takeoff a DC9 that had been holding short of the runway. I then landed with no further problems. To avoid this incident, I should have asked the controller where the arrow was, and requested verification that there was no conflict. I also should have immediately informed the controller when I turned away from the runway. For his part, the controller should have used standard phraseology, and should have clarified that I was now to follow the arrow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28-181 PLT MAKES SPACING TURN IN THE TFC PATTERN WITHOUT THE PROPER CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31, AND WAS CLRED TO LAND, #2 BEHIND A PIPER NAVAJO. THE NAVAJO EXTENDED HIS DOWNWIND AND I ALSO EXTENDED MY DOWNWIND SINCE I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW HIM. BEHIND ME WAS A PIPER ARROW. THE CTLR TOLD THE ARROW THAT HE WAS #4 (THOUGH HE WAS REALLY #3), AND CLRED HIM TO LAND. WHEN THE NAVAJO WAS ON FINAL TO RWY 31, I STARTED A TURN TO R BASE. THE ARROW WAS BEHIND ME AND REQUESTED TO TURN BASE SO THAT HE COULD LAND IN FRONT OF ME. I ASKED THE ARROW WHERE HE WAS, AND HE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS INSIDE OF ME. THE CTLR SAID 'ARROW, YOU ARE RUNNING THE SHOW.' I DID NOT HAVE THE ARROW IN SIGHT AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE COLLISION ON FINAL, SO INSTEAD OF MAKING A R TURN TO FINAL, I DECIDED TO CIRCLE TO THE L. THE CTLR WAS MAD AND ASKED ME WHAT I WAS DOING. THE CTLR VECTORED ME BACK TO A LONG FINAL, AND CLRED FOR TKOF A DC9 THAT HAD BEEN HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY. I THEN LANDED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. TO AVOID THIS INCIDENT, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTLR WHERE THE ARROW WAS, AND REQUESTED VERIFICATION THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THE CTLR WHEN I TURNED AWAY FROM THE RWY. FOR HIS PART, THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE USED STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY, AND SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THAT I WAS NOW TO FOLLOW THE ARROW.

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.