Narrative:

I contacted mkc tower from 10 mi northeast and received instructions to 'enter left downwind runway 19' and also 'identify' (which I did). I proceeded with instructions and when I was on a left base leg, about 1 mi or less before turning on final approach, I decided to report my position to the tower (I became a little nervous, still not having clearance to and from the tower by this time). After I stated my position, I got immediate response from tower, 'aircraft X, negative (about turning final), turn north (as I heard it at that time, later I learned that in fact it was south/right opposite!).' sensing urgency in controller's voice (he also stated that another airplane was on final approach), I immediately turned right (north) saying, 'aircraft X turning north.' in next second, as I was turning 90 degrees to the right, I saw beech king air on opposite course about 2500 ft to the right and 300 ft higher. King air turned to the right and I turned to the right almost at the same time trying to avoid coming closer to each other. Then I followed instructions from the tower and landed. A potentially dangerous situation happened as a result of my confusion and misunderstanding of controller's message, especially with regards to space and time conditions. Controller was busy at that time (it was also third airplane on pattern close right traffic). Probably it was another contributing factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW TIME PVT PLT OF A SUNDOWNER 23 ON A PREMATURE L BASE LEG HAS A CONFLICT WITH A KING AIR ON FINAL FOR RWY 19 AT MKC, MO.

Narrative: I CONTACTED MKC TWR FROM 10 MI NE AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO 'ENTER L DOWNWIND RWY 19' AND ALSO 'IDENT' (WHICH I DID). I PROCEEDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND WHEN I WAS ON A L BASE LEG, ABOUT 1 MI OR LESS BEFORE TURNING ON FINAL APCH, I DECIDED TO RPT MY POS TO THE TWR (I BECAME A LITTLE NERVOUS, STILL NOT HAVING CLRNC TO AND FROM THE TWR BY THIS TIME). AFTER I STATED MY POS, I GOT IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM TWR, 'ACFT X, NEGATIVE (ABOUT TURNING FINAL), TURN N (AS I HEARD IT AT THAT TIME, LATER I LEARNED THAT IN FACT IT WAS S/R OPPOSITE!).' SENSING URGENCY IN CTLR'S VOICE (HE ALSO STATED THAT ANOTHER AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APCH), I IMMEDIATELY TURNED R (N) SAYING, 'ACFT X TURNING N.' IN NEXT SECOND, AS I WAS TURNING 90 DEGS TO THE R, I SAW BEECH KING AIR ON OPPOSITE COURSE ABOUT 2500 FT TO THE R AND 300 FT HIGHER. KING AIR TURNED TO THE R AND I TURNED TO THE R ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO AVOID COMING CLOSER TO EACH OTHER. THEN I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE TWR AND LANDED. A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF MY CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTANDING OF CTLR'S MESSAGE, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO SPACE AND TIME CONDITIONS. CTLR WAS BUSY AT THAT TIME (IT WAS ALSO THIRD AIRPLANE ON PATTERN CLOSE R TFC). PROBABLY IT WAS ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.