Pilot complains about ATC handling while approaching the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	130286
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mry
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mry tracon : hts
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 980 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	130286
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I contacted mry approach and requested to report a right base to runway 10R. I was cleared. Shortly mry approach said I was #2 and I had traffic 1-2 O'clock. I said I did not see the traffic. He came back with a vector heading of 340 degrees, to which I responded to. I turned to this heading and still did not see the traffic. Finally I saw the other aircraft at 2-3 O'clock, and he was headed directly for me. I first made a call that I saw the aircraft. This first call confused the controller, who then thought there were 3 aircraft in the pattern instead of 2, and gave me a vector heading of '320' degrees to avoid the 'pop-up traffic,' as he referred to it. By this time I corrected my range estimate and he told me to 'follow that aircraft and contact tower.' I rolled out about 3500' behind the small aircraft and asked for a low approach because I was slightly overtaking the small aircraft. He sent the small aircraft around and cleared me to land. Later when I called the tower, he told me the vector heading was 240 degrees. I was sure he said 340 degrees, and responded to this vector, as is my habit. After the tower supervisor had listened to the tapes I was indeed given a vector heading of 340 degrees. It also shows I responded to this vector heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT COMPLAINS ABOUT ATC HANDLING WHILE APCHING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: I CONTACTED MRY APCH AND REQUESTED TO RPT A RIGHT BASE TO RWY 10R. I WAS CLRED. SHORTLY MRY APCH SAID I WAS #2 AND I HAD TFC 1-2 O'CLOCK. I SAID I DID NOT SEE THE TFC. HE CAME BACK WITH A VECTOR HDG OF 340 DEGS, TO WHICH I RESPONDED TO. I TURNED TO THIS HDG AND STILL DID NOT SEE THE TFC. FINALLY I SAW THE OTHER ACFT AT 2-3 O'CLOCK, AND HE WAS HEADED DIRECTLY FOR ME. I FIRST MADE A CALL THAT I SAW THE ACFT. THIS FIRST CALL CONFUSED THE CTLR, WHO THEN THOUGHT THERE WERE 3 ACFT IN THE PATTERN INSTEAD OF 2, AND GAVE ME A VECTOR HDG OF '320' DEGS TO AVOID THE 'POP-UP TFC,' AS HE REFERRED TO IT. BY THIS TIME I CORRECTED MY RANGE ESTIMATE AND HE TOLD ME TO 'FOLLOW THAT ACFT AND CONTACT TWR.' I ROLLED OUT ABOUT 3500' BEHIND THE SMA AND ASKED FOR A LOW APCH BECAUSE I WAS SLIGHTLY OVERTAKING THE SMA. HE SENT THE SMA AROUND AND CLRED ME TO LAND. LATER WHEN I CALLED THE TWR, HE TOLD ME THE VECTOR HDG WAS 240 DEGS. I WAS SURE HE SAID 340 DEGS, AND RESPONDED TO THIS VECTOR, AS IS MY HABIT. AFTER THE TWR SUPVR HAD LISTENED TO THE TAPES I WAS INDEED GIVEN A VECTOR HDG OF 340 DEGS. IT ALSO SHOWS I RESPONDED TO THIS VECTOR HDG.

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.