Narrative:

I was piloting the corporate jet aircraft X on a routine flight into tys. The WX was marginal with relation to the availability of a visual. Knoxville approach informed me they would vector me onto a downwind to see if I could sight the airport. They ended up vectoring me for a base leg for 23L, however, and when I saw the airport I was too close to make a normal approach. I requested a right 270 degree turn back around to final and thought I got approval to do so. I began my right turn and approximately 90 degree into it I heard the tower instruct an aircraft which was (unknown by me) on the ILS for 23R to 'turn left immediately'. I realized then that either the tower or I had made a mistake. I made visual contact with the aircraft, an small aircraft Y breaking off its approach and saw that there was ample room to avoid rapid evasive action. We both made normal turns to avoid conflict. In discussing this incident with the tower controllers, they assured me they had not cleared me for the right 270 degree maneuver. If that is true then the major factor is a lack of crew coordination and awareness in my cockpit. There was a lot of chatter on the frequency at the moment in question and we may have misinterpreted a transmission. We have discussed the importance of radio vigilance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFLICT BETWEEN CPR JET AND SMA ON APCH TO TYS.

Narrative: I WAS PILOTING THE CORPORATE JET ACFT X ON A ROUTINE FLT INTO TYS. THE WX WAS MARGINAL WITH RELATION TO THE AVAILABILITY OF A VISUAL. KNOXVILLE APCH INFORMED ME THEY WOULD VECTOR ME ONTO A DOWNWIND TO SEE IF I COULD SIGHT THE ARPT. THEY ENDED UP VECTORING ME FOR A BASE LEG FOR 23L, HOWEVER, AND WHEN I SAW THE ARPT I WAS TOO CLOSE TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH. I REQUESTED A RIGHT 270 DEG TURN BACK AROUND TO FINAL AND THOUGHT I GOT APPROVAL TO DO SO. I BEGAN MY RIGHT TURN AND APPROX 90 DEG INTO IT I HEARD THE TWR INSTRUCT AN ACFT WHICH WAS (UNKNOWN BY ME) ON THE ILS FOR 23R TO 'TURN LEFT IMMEDIATELY'. I REALIZED THEN THAT EITHER THE TWR OR I HAD MADE A MISTAKE. I MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ACFT, AN SMA Y BREAKING OFF ITS APCH AND SAW THAT THERE WAS AMPLE ROOM TO AVOID RAPID EVASIVE ACTION. WE BOTH MADE NORMAL TURNS TO AVOID CONFLICT. IN DISCUSSING THIS INCIDENT WITH THE TWR CTLRS, THEY ASSURED ME THEY HAD NOT CLRED ME FOR THE RIGHT 270 DEG MANEUVER. IF THAT IS TRUE THEN THE MAJOR FACTOR IS A LACK OF CREW COORD AND AWARENESS IN MY COCKPIT. THERE WAS A LOT OF CHATTER ON THE FREQ AT THE MOMENT IN QUESTION AND WE MAY HAVE MISINTERPRETED A XMISSION. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF RADIO VIGILANCE.

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.