Narrative:

Upon arrival to sdl, I contacted tower at approximately 10 mi out. I was told to report 5 mi and expect a right base for runway 21. At about the same time a cessna 150 acrobat reported to tower they were inbound. At about 8 mi, I was asked if I had the cessna insight and to follow him for landing. I reported him in sight. At 5 mi, I reported in and was told 'cleared to land.' I entered a right base and proceeded inbound. At approximately 3/4 mi, tower asked if I was landing ahead of the C150. The flight instructor broke off his approach (he was on a close right base) and came in behind me. There was no contact between tower and me from 5 mi to short final. I overtook the C150 when I was on final. I lost sight of him. However, I heard 'cleared to land' at 5 mi. No reference was made to being #2 at that time. It was busy that day and the controller had an 'edge' in his voice which was a little intimidating. I was unfamiliar with the scottsdale airport. I was recently checked out in this airplane. I think being unfamiliar with the airport was a factor in that the 'visual cues' were not there and I was distraction. I had planned on telling tower I was unfamiliar on my initial call-up. I believe if I would have done that, tower would have kept an eye on me. I also believe the flight instructor in the other airplane would have looked closer for me, breaking off his approach much sooner. I should have told tower I lost visual contact with the C150. However, the 'cleared to land' communication given to me at 5 mi confused me. If the tower would have said 'cleared to land #2, slow down for spacing,' that would have made a difference. The student in the C150 was doing the radio communication and it is possible they were distraction with other matters. When flying into unfamiliar crowded airspace in the future, I will say 'unfamiliar.' if I have any doubt about spacing, I will ask -- even if the ATC controller has an edge in his voice. I was told after I landed this was the 'grouchy' controller. If there had been an accident that never would have come up as a cause. This demeanor did discourage communication in the air.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT AND A C150 HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION IN SDL CLASS D AIRSPACE AFTER THE C182 PLT CUT OUT THE C150 FOR LNDG.

Narrative: UPON ARR TO SDL, I CONTACTED TWR AT APPROX 10 MI OUT. I WAS TOLD TO RPT 5 MI AND EXPECT A R BASE FOR RWY 21. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME A CESSNA 150 ACROBAT RPTED TO TWR THEY WERE INBOUND. AT ABOUT 8 MI, I WAS ASKED IF I HAD THE CESSNA INSIGHT AND TO FOLLOW HIM FOR LNDG. I RPTED HIM IN SIGHT. AT 5 MI, I RPTED IN AND WAS TOLD 'CLRED TO LAND.' I ENTERED A R BASE AND PROCEEDED INBOUND. AT APPROX 3/4 MI, TWR ASKED IF I WAS LNDG AHEAD OF THE C150. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR BROKE OFF HIS APCH (HE WAS ON A CLOSE R BASE) AND CAME IN BEHIND ME. THERE WAS NO CONTACT BTWN TWR AND ME FROM 5 MI TO SHORT FINAL. I OVERTOOK THE C150 WHEN I WAS ON FINAL. I LOST SIGHT OF HIM. HOWEVER, I HEARD 'CLRED TO LAND' AT 5 MI. NO REF WAS MADE TO BEING #2 AT THAT TIME. IT WAS BUSY THAT DAY AND THE CTLR HAD AN 'EDGE' IN HIS VOICE WHICH WAS A LITTLE INTIMIDATING. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SCOTTSDALE ARPT. I WAS RECENTLY CHKED OUT IN THIS AIRPLANE. I THINK BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT WAS A FACTOR IN THAT THE 'VISUAL CUES' WERE NOT THERE AND I WAS DISTR. I HAD PLANNED ON TELLING TWR I WAS UNFAMILIAR ON MY INITIAL CALL-UP. I BELIEVE IF I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT, TWR WOULD HAVE KEPT AN EYE ON ME. I ALSO BELIEVE THE FLT INSTRUCTOR IN THE OTHER AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE LOOKED CLOSER FOR ME, BREAKING OFF HIS APCH MUCH SOONER. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD TWR I LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE C150. HOWEVER, THE 'CLRED TO LAND' COM GIVEN TO ME AT 5 MI CONFUSED ME. IF THE TWR WOULD HAVE SAID 'CLRED TO LAND #2, SLOW DOWN FOR SPACING,' THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. THE STUDENT IN THE C150 WAS DOING THE RADIO COM AND IT IS POSSIBLE THEY WERE DISTR WITH OTHER MATTERS. WHEN FLYING INTO UNFAMILIAR CROWDED AIRSPACE IN THE FUTURE, I WILL SAY 'UNFAMILIAR.' IF I HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT SPACING, I WILL ASK -- EVEN IF THE ATC CTLR HAS AN EDGE IN HIS VOICE. I WAS TOLD AFTER I LANDED THIS WAS THE 'GROUCHY' CTLR. IF THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT THAT NEVER WOULD HAVE COME UP AS A CAUSE. THIS DEMEANOR DID DISCOURAGE COM IN THE AIR.

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.