Narrative:

Approached pae from south, initial contact outside class D airspace. Controller advised straight-in for runway 34R, report 2 mi final. The controller was very busy, working lndgs and departures on all 3 runways. There were airplanes doing touch-and-goes and at least 2 IFR departures waiting for release. One of those was a cessna which had been cleared into position and hold on runway 34R. At 2 mi, I could not contact the controller due to frequency saturation. The controller was working a lot of other traffic. When I did report, the controller looked and asked if that was me on short final, I replied in the affirmative. The controller reiterated that he really did need the 2 mi call, but cleared me to land on runway 34R. I acknowledged, but the cessna was still there (forgotten?). At approximately 300 ft AGL, and the cessna still not cleared for takeoff, I initiated a go around advising the tower at my earliest opportunity. (I also reminded him that there was an aircraft on the runway.) I was advised to 'do a 360 degree turn behind the airplane on downwind.' seeing the airplane to follow, I climbed to pattern altitude and got in line. After about 4 mi, it was clear that the airplane I was to follow was not returning to pae, although other cessnas on tower frequency were being told to 'extend downwind' with tower calling base turn. I had no way to know at the time that the one I was following wasn't the one being asked to extend. I again called tower at my first opportunity to let them know I would turn back to the airport. He then said my radio was weak. I switched transmitters. On my acknowledgement of the clearance to land on the now clear runway 34R, the controller repeated the weak radio comment (now my #2 radio). Nothing else was said. Upon my departure several hours later, there were no remarks about my radios.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER ARROW PLT WAS CLRED TO LAND ON AN OCCUPIED RWY AT PAE.

Narrative: APCHED PAE FROM S, INITIAL CONTACT OUTSIDE CLASS D AIRSPACE. CTLR ADVISED STRAIGHT-IN FOR RWY 34R, RPT 2 MI FINAL. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, WORKING LNDGS AND DEPS ON ALL 3 RWYS. THERE WERE AIRPLANES DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES AND AT LEAST 2 IFR DEPS WAITING FOR RELEASE. ONE OF THOSE WAS A CESSNA WHICH HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 34R. AT 2 MI, I COULD NOT CONTACT THE CTLR DUE TO FREQ SATURATION. THE CTLR WAS WORKING A LOT OF OTHER TFC. WHEN I DID RPT, THE CTLR LOOKED AND ASKED IF THAT WAS ME ON SHORT FINAL, I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE CTLR REITERATED THAT HE REALLY DID NEED THE 2 MI CALL, BUT CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 34R. I ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT THE CESSNA WAS STILL THERE (FORGOTTEN?). AT APPROX 300 FT AGL, AND THE CESSNA STILL NOT CLRED FOR TKOF, I INITIATED A GAR ADVISING THE TWR AT MY EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY. (I ALSO REMINDED HIM THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON THE RWY.) I WAS ADVISED TO 'DO A 360 DEG TURN BEHIND THE AIRPLANE ON DOWNWIND.' SEEING THE AIRPLANE TO FOLLOW, I CLBED TO PATTERN ALT AND GOT IN LINE. AFTER ABOUT 4 MI, IT WAS CLR THAT THE AIRPLANE I WAS TO FOLLOW WAS NOT RETURNING TO PAE, ALTHOUGH OTHER CESSNAS ON TWR FREQ WERE BEING TOLD TO 'EXTEND DOWNWIND' WITH TWR CALLING BASE TURN. I HAD NO WAY TO KNOW AT THE TIME THAT THE ONE I WAS FOLLOWING WASN'T THE ONE BEING ASKED TO EXTEND. I AGAIN CALLED TWR AT MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO LET THEM KNOW I WOULD TURN BACK TO THE ARPT. HE THEN SAID MY RADIO WAS WEAK. I SWITCHED XMITTERS. ON MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CLRNC TO LAND ON THE NOW CLR RWY 34R, THE CTLR REPEATED THE WEAK RADIO COMMENT (NOW MY #2 RADIO). NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. UPON MY DEP SEVERAL HRS LATER, THERE WERE NO REMARKS ABOUT MY RADIOS.

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.