Narrative:

15 mi northwest of airport, I called in for landing. Was told to approach from the southwest and report a 1 mi l-hand 45 degree entry to the south parallel runway. Controllers were extremely busy due to traffic for the 2 runways. I overheard a controller tell another aircraft that I would be making a downwind entry (instead of the 45 degree entry as instructed). Due to frequency saturation, I couldn't confirm if I was to make downwind or a 45 degree entry. While executing the 45 degree entry, was told to 'follow the decathlon and cleared to land.' note: I was not told 'you are #2 cleared to land' which is the usual phraseology for landing in sequence. At that time the decathlon was on a left crosswind departure climbing turn. I wasn't sure if the decathlon was staying in the pattern or departing. I stayed behind the decathlon about 1 mi. The pattern altitude is 1400 ft and the decathlon climbed 300-400 ft above that and then angled off to the southeast way outside of the normal pattern. Due to frequency congestion, I could not confirm with the tower if I was to continue following the decathlon or land at my discretion. Having received the command 'cleared to land,' I landed and was then told by tower that I had landed out of sequence. Conclusion: the controller's command, 'follow decathlon, cleared to land' is confusing. If the controller would have said 'follow decathlon, #2 cleared to land,' there would be no doubt about what I was to do. Additionally, frequency saturation did not allow me to confirm the landing request. I reviewed the aim that evening to verify the phraseology 'follow...and cleared to land.' the phrase '#2 to (takeoff or) land' is listed as an example. If this situation arises in the future, I will continue in the pattern until absolutely sure of the controller's command. The worst is that I would have a very long extended downwind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC-65 LANDS OUT OF SEQUENCE AT LVK.

Narrative: 15 MI NW OF ARPT, I CALLED IN FOR LNDG. WAS TOLD TO APCH FROM THE SW AND RPT A 1 MI L-HAND 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE S PARALLEL RWY. CTLRS WERE EXTREMELY BUSY DUE TO TFC FOR THE 2 RWYS. I OVERHEARD A CTLR TELL ANOTHER ACFT THAT I WOULD BE MAKING A DOWNWIND ENTRY (INSTEAD OF THE 45 DEG ENTRY AS INSTRUCTED). DUE TO FREQ SATURATION, I COULDN'T CONFIRM IF I WAS TO MAKE DOWNWIND OR A 45 DEG ENTRY. WHILE EXECUTING THE 45 DEG ENTRY, WAS TOLD TO 'FOLLOW THE DECATHLON AND CLRED TO LAND.' NOTE: I WAS NOT TOLD 'YOU ARE #2 CLRED TO LAND' WHICH IS THE USUAL PHRASEOLOGY FOR LNDG IN SEQUENCE. AT THAT TIME THE DECATHLON WAS ON A L XWIND DEP CLBING TURN. I WASN'T SURE IF THE DECATHLON WAS STAYING IN THE PATTERN OR DEPARTING. I STAYED BEHIND THE DECATHLON ABOUT 1 MI. THE PATTERN ALT IS 1400 FT AND THE DECATHLON CLBED 300-400 FT ABOVE THAT AND THEN ANGLED OFF TO THE SE WAY OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL PATTERN. DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION, I COULD NOT CONFIRM WITH THE TWR IF I WAS TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE DECATHLON OR LAND AT MY DISCRETION. HAVING RECEIVED THE COMMAND 'CLRED TO LAND,' I LANDED AND WAS THEN TOLD BY TWR THAT I HAD LANDED OUT OF SEQUENCE. CONCLUSION: THE CTLR'S COMMAND, 'FOLLOW DECATHLON, CLRED TO LAND' IS CONFUSING. IF THE CTLR WOULD HAVE SAID 'FOLLOW DECATHLON, #2 CLRED TO LAND,' THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT WHAT I WAS TO DO. ADDITIONALLY, FREQ SATURATION DID NOT ALLOW ME TO CONFIRM THE LNDG REQUEST. I REVIEWED THE AIM THAT EVENING TO VERIFY THE PHRASEOLOGY 'FOLLOW...AND CLRED TO LAND.' THE PHRASE '#2 TO (TKOF OR) LAND' IS LISTED AS AN EXAMPLE. IF THIS SIT ARISES IN THE FUTURE, I WILL CONTINUE IN THE PATTERN UNTIL ABSOLUTELY SURE OF THE CTLR'S COMMAND. THE WORST IS THAT I WOULD HAVE A VERY LONG EXTENDED DOWNWIND.

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.