Air taxi aircraft on entry to airport. Cleared straight in. When reported on final was asked to make...

Attributes
ACN	111399
Time
Date	198905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sts
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sts
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	111399
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called sonoma county tower 20 NM northwest of airport. Was told to continue straight in for runway 14, report 3 NM final. While descending through 1500' I called 3 mi final and was told I was #2 behind an small transport on left base. I looked for the traffic and located the small transport at my 9 O'clock approximately 1/2 NM as shown (see graphic). I was now inside of the small transport and on 2 mi final with gear and flaps down. Tower told me to turn right, away from the small transport. To do so would have caused me to lose sight of the traffic. I informed tower unable and would turn left toward the small transport and an small aircraft on downwind. Both aircraft would then remain in sight and I was able to avoid a midair with the small transport. There was never any indication the small transport had me in sight and he was descending directly toward me if I were to turn right. Sonoma tower was not too happy with my left turn and proceeded to inform me that all turns should be to the west of the airport, and that they (tower) would provide traffic sep. I talked to the tower on the ground and tried to apprise them of the necessity for my actions. They still did not grasp the situation. I ended communications with the tower. I feel the small transport was too wide on base for tower to have cleared me to land straight in west/O traffic advisory as to his position. I feel that the tower was not keeping track of the size of the traffic pattern, and should require all pattern traffic to remain within the normal traffic pattern area to be more easily located if cleared for straight in approach. A more timely call of traffic would have prevented my taking corrective action. And finally, tower's attitude about the entire incident was totally unacceptable for professional controllers. We are all in a learning mode while flying. If we keep a closed mind about it, we learn nothing from this event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI ACFT ON ENTRY TO ARPT. CLEARED STRAIGHT IN. WHEN REPORTED ON FINAL WAS ASKED TO MAKE RIGHT TURN FOR TRAFFIC ON BASE. TURNED LEFT TOWARD TRAFFIC TO KEEP IN SIGHT.

Narrative: I CALLED SONOMA COUNTY TWR 20 NM NW OF ARPT. WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 14, RPT 3 NM FINAL. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 1500' I CALLED 3 MI FINAL AND WAS TOLD I WAS #2 BEHIND AN SMT ON LEFT BASE. I LOOKED FOR THE TFC AND LOCATED THE SMT AT MY 9 O'CLOCK APPROX 1/2 NM AS SHOWN (SEE GRAPHIC). I WAS NOW INSIDE OF THE SMT AND ON 2 MI FINAL WITH GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN. TWR TOLD ME TO TURN RIGHT, AWAY FROM THE SMT. TO DO SO WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE TFC. I INFORMED TWR UNABLE AND WOULD TURN LEFT TOWARD THE SMT AND AN SMA ON DOWNWIND. BOTH ACFT WOULD THEN REMAIN IN SIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A MIDAIR WITH THE SMT. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION THE SMT HAD ME IN SIGHT AND HE WAS DSNDING DIRECTLY TOWARD ME IF I WERE TO TURN RIGHT. SONOMA TWR WAS NOT TOO HAPPY WITH MY LEFT TURN AND PROCEEDED TO INFORM ME THAT ALL TURNS SHOULD BE TO THE W OF THE ARPT, AND THAT THEY (TWR) WOULD PROVIDE TFC SEP. I TALKED TO THE TWR ON THE GND AND TRIED TO APPRISE THEM OF THE NECESSITY FOR MY ACTIONS. THEY STILL DID NOT GRASP THE SITUATION. I ENDED COMS WITH THE TWR. I FEEL THE SMT WAS TOO WIDE ON BASE FOR TWR TO HAVE CLRED ME TO LAND STRAIGHT IN W/O TFC ADVISORY AS TO HIS POS. I FEEL THAT THE TWR WAS NOT KEEPING TRACK OF THE SIZE OF THE TFC PATTERN, AND SHOULD REQUIRE ALL PATTERN TFC TO REMAIN WITHIN THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN AREA TO BE MORE EASILY LOCATED IF CLRED FOR STRAIGHT IN APCH. A MORE TIMELY CALL OF TFC WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION. AND FINALLY, TWR'S ATTITUDE ABOUT THE ENTIRE INCIDENT WAS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR PROFESSIONAL CTLRS. WE ARE ALL IN A LEARNING MODE WHILE FLYING. IF WE KEEP A CLOSED MIND ABOUT IT, WE LEARN NOTHING FROM THIS EVENT.

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.

Air taxi aircraft on entry to airport. Cleared straight in. When reported on final was asked to make right turn for traffic on base. Turned left toward traffic to keep in sight.