Narrative:

I was approaching srq in a cessna 208B. The controling facility is tpa approach. I was vectored from the south to a right downwind to runway 14. As I approached turning base (right base) and in contact with srq tower, I was told that I would follow a C206 on about a 1 mi final. My turn to base was premature (poor vector) and I was too close. Told to continue. I slowed as much as possible, in fact transitioned to a short field confign for separation (75-80 KTS). On short final, it was clear the C206 would not clear the runway. I initiated a go around, and was handed over to tpa approach. I received vectors to the north and west to enter the flow for runway 14 again. Cleared for a visual approach (odd since I was VFR) I was told to be #3 to the airport following an ATR42 on final at my 12 O'clock position. I thought I had the ATR in sight and told either the tower or approach. I was told to follow. On intercepting final, I heard a captain on the radio ask about an aircraft that just flew beneath him. I looked up and saw to my surprise an ATR42. What I thought was the ATR42 was a B737, now far down the runway. I announced to all parties that I would continue on my heading (roughly 220 degrees) and that the ATR42 was 'clear' and the runway was his. The ATR landed without further incident, but panicked the first officer (via conversation with the captain after). I was circled one time and brought back in. My view on this is that far too many aircraft are cleared for visuals to the same runway at the same time. Although it was VFR, it was hazy, bight, and the aircraft I was looking for was not where I was led to believe it was. All incoming and outgoing traffic at srq is worked by tpa -- all VFR and IFR. The tower no longer is allowed to assist even though they are radar equipped. Tpa is therefore 'overworked' and sarasota is radar blind. It's a disaster in the making. Obviously, I will exercise extreme caution at this airport from now on. This was too close.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C208 LNDG SRQ RPTS B737 IN SIGHT, MISTAKING IT FOR AN ATR42, AND CONFLICTS WITH ATR WHEN TURNING FINAL.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING SRQ IN A CESSNA 208B. THE CTLING FACILITY IS TPA APCH. I WAS VECTORED FROM THE S TO A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 14. AS I APCHED TURNING BASE (R BASE) AND IN CONTACT WITH SRQ TWR, I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD FOLLOW A C206 ON ABOUT A 1 MI FINAL. MY TURN TO BASE WAS PREMATURE (POOR VECTOR) AND I WAS TOO CLOSE. TOLD TO CONTINUE. I SLOWED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IN FACT TRANSITIONED TO A SHORT FIELD CONFIGN FOR SEPARATION (75-80 KTS). ON SHORT FINAL, IT WAS CLR THE C206 WOULD NOT CLR THE RWY. I INITIATED A GAR, AND WAS HANDED OVER TO TPA APCH. I RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE N AND W TO ENTER THE FLOW FOR RWY 14 AGAIN. CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH (ODD SINCE I WAS VFR) I WAS TOLD TO BE #3 TO THE ARPT FOLLOWING AN ATR42 ON FINAL AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS. I THOUGHT I HAD THE ATR IN SIGHT AND TOLD EITHER THE TWR OR APCH. I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW. ON INTERCEPTING FINAL, I HEARD A CAPT ON THE RADIO ASK ABOUT AN ACFT THAT JUST FLEW BENEATH HIM. I LOOKED UP AND SAW TO MY SURPRISE AN ATR42. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ATR42 WAS A B737, NOW FAR DOWN THE RWY. I ANNOUNCED TO ALL PARTIES THAT I WOULD CONTINUE ON MY HDG (ROUGHLY 220 DEGS) AND THAT THE ATR42 WAS 'CLR' AND THE RWY WAS HIS. THE ATR LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, BUT PANICKED THE FO (VIA CONVERSATION WITH THE CAPT AFTER). I WAS CIRCLED ONE TIME AND BROUGHT BACK IN. MY VIEW ON THIS IS THAT FAR TOO MANY ACFT ARE CLRED FOR VISUALS TO THE SAME RWY AT THE SAME TIME. ALTHOUGH IT WAS VFR, IT WAS HAZY, BIGHT, AND THE ACFT I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS NOT WHERE I WAS LED TO BELIEVE IT WAS. ALL INCOMING AND OUTGOING TFC AT SRQ IS WORKED BY TPA -- ALL VFR AND IFR. THE TWR NO LONGER IS ALLOWED TO ASSIST EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE RADAR EQUIPPED. TPA IS THEREFORE 'OVERWORKED' AND SARASOTA IS RADAR BLIND. IT'S A DISASTER IN THE MAKING. OBVIOUSLY, I WILL EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AT THIS ARPT FROM NOW ON. THIS WAS TOO CLOSE.

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.