Small aircraft made circle on short final due another aircraft in close proximity.

Attributes
ACN	106202
Time
Date	198903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tlh
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tlh
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	106202
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Approaching tlh from southwest, heading 020 degrees at 1000' MSL. Contacted arsa/approach control at 21 mi. Was advised to expect runway 36. Under 8 mi was advised to contact the tower and that I was following an small aircraft 4 mi ahead. Contacted tower and advised to 'continue.' I contacted the tower and asked them to advise me of location of other aircraft (now I'm at approximately 3 mi from T/D). Was told to 'standby' by tower. At 1 mi from T/D I sighted an small aircraft approximately 100' above and 2000-3000' to the left merging in for landing on 36. I had deviated to the right when tower asked if I had the traffic 'above and to your left.' I advised that I did and was coming up on him. Tower then said I was #2 following the small transport. I told tower no, because I was passing him on the right. There was no way to trail the small aircraft since I was virtually beside him upon sighting. I requested a 360 degree turn to the right. That was approved. I rejoined the final for 36 and landed west/O further incident. Conclusions: I feel that this was a clear case of ATC/controller error. I think the controller lost track of the various aircraft he was handling which resulted in 2 aircraft converging on short final at the same time. There was a good deal of traffic at the time and the confusion on the frequency was obvious, which is what I requested clarification of the location of the other traffic. That request went unanswered. Recommendations: I have frequently encountered handling problems in the tallahassee arsa. Most of these have been of the inconvenience variety such as giving me a departure heading and the forgetting about me until I call and request 'on course.' base on these occurrences, it is obvious to me that there is a training problem with the personnel operating the tallahassee arsa, and in order to prevent future instances as outlined in this form, further training of the ATC personnel must be accomplished.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MADE CIRCLE ON SHORT FINAL DUE ANOTHER ACFT IN CLOSE PROX.

Narrative: APCHING TLH FROM SW, HDG 020 DEGS AT 1000' MSL. CONTACTED ARSA/APCH CTL AT 21 MI. WAS ADVISED TO EXPECT RWY 36. UNDER 8 MI WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT THE TWR AND THAT I WAS FOLLOWING AN SMA 4 MI AHEAD. CONTACTED TWR AND ADVISED TO 'CONTINUE.' I CONTACTED THE TWR AND ASKED THEM TO ADVISE ME OF LOCATION OF OTHER ACFT (NOW I'M AT APPROX 3 MI FROM T/D). WAS TOLD TO 'STANDBY' BY TWR. AT 1 MI FROM T/D I SIGHTED AN SMA APPROX 100' ABOVE AND 2000-3000' TO THE LEFT MERGING IN FOR LNDG ON 36. I HAD DEVIATED TO THE RIGHT WHEN TWR ASKED IF I HAD THE TFC 'ABOVE AND TO YOUR LEFT.' I ADVISED THAT I DID AND WAS COMING UP ON HIM. TWR THEN SAID I WAS #2 FOLLOWING THE SMT. I TOLD TWR NO, BECAUSE I WAS PASSING HIM ON THE RIGHT. THERE WAS NO WAY TO TRAIL THE SMA SINCE I WAS VIRTUALLY BESIDE HIM UPON SIGHTING. I REQUESTED A 360 DEG TURN TO THE RIGHT. THAT WAS APPROVED. I REJOINED THE FINAL FOR 36 AND LANDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. CONCLUSIONS: I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A CLEAR CASE OF ATC/CTLR ERROR. I THINK THE CTLR LOST TRACK OF THE VARIOUS ACFT HE WAS HANDLING WHICH RESULTED IN 2 ACFT CONVERGING ON SHORT FINAL AT THE SAME TIME. THERE WAS A GOOD DEAL OF TFC AT THE TIME AND THE CONFUSION ON THE FREQ WAS OBVIOUS, WHICH IS WHAT I REQUESTED CLARIFICATION OF THE LOCATION OF THE OTHER TFC. THAT REQUEST WENT UNANSWERED. RECOMMENDATIONS: I HAVE FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED HANDLING PROBS IN THE TALLAHASSEE ARSA. MOST OF THESE HAVE BEEN OF THE INCONVENIENCE VARIETY SUCH AS GIVING ME A DEP HDG AND THE FORGETTING ABOUT ME UNTIL I CALL AND REQUEST 'ON COURSE.' BASE ON THESE OCCURRENCES, IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THERE IS A TRNING PROB WITH THE PERSONNEL OPERATING THE TALLAHASSEE ARSA, AND IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE INSTANCES AS OUTLINED IN THIS FORM, FURTHER TRNING OF THE ATC PERSONNEL MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.