Narrative:

After IFR inbound from nassau handed off to tmb tower while descending to 1500', advised tower 'with you descending to 1500' inbound for landing' my course 270 degree. Tower, 'enter right traffic runway 9R turn north follow traffic ahead for approach'. 'Do you have traffic in sight' answer 'briefly, not now'. Follow traffic clear for runway 9R visibility approach #2 problem; my position was 3 southeast of runway 9R. Turn north did not allow me to enter right traffic but I turned as instructed, looking for traffic. I queried the tower to make certain he understood my position, that he wanted me to turn north. He answered gruffly yes! I informed him traffic not in sight. He then informed me that I had passed the traffic and to continue #1 for runway 9R and asked altitude. I informed 1000' descending for landing runway 9R. I advised that traffic not in sight; yet he accused me of passing the traffic while northbound under his instruction even after I questioned the instructions. Initially I was set up perfectly to enter right traffic runway 9R as instructed by approach while on vectors to expect. Upon contact with tower I was instructed to turn north as indicated which I questioned but did as told while looking for traffic and reported traffic not in sight. I certainly could not follow traffic I could not see, plus by instructing me to turn north and enter right traffic, was an impossible situation west/O doing a 360 degree turn to the right which is prohibited in landing confign unless specifically authority/authorized. I really do not think the controller really knew where I was, however there was no near miss or bad situation; just a big conflict of instruction and situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PASSED UP TRAFFIC HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: AFTER IFR INBOUND FROM NASSAU HANDED OFF TO TMB TWR WHILE DSNDING TO 1500', ADVISED TWR 'WITH YOU DSNDING TO 1500' INBOUND FOR LNDG' MY COURSE 270 DEG. TWR, 'ENTER R TFC RWY 9R TURN N FOLLOW TFC AHEAD FOR APCH'. 'DO YOU HAVE TFC IN SIGHT' ANSWER 'BRIEFLY, NOT NOW'. FOLLOW TFC CLR FOR RWY 9R VIS APCH #2 PROB; MY POS WAS 3 SE OF RWY 9R. TURN N DID NOT ALLOW ME TO ENTER R TFC BUT I TURNED AS INSTRUCTED, LOOKING FOR TFC. I QUERIED THE TWR TO MAKE CERTAIN HE UNDERSTOOD MY POS, THAT HE WANTED ME TO TURN N. HE ANSWERED GRUFFLY YES! I INFORMED HIM TFC NOT IN SIGHT. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I HAD PASSED THE TFC AND TO CONTINUE #1 FOR RWY 9R AND ASKED ALT. I INFORMED 1000' DSNDING FOR LNDG RWY 9R. I ADVISED THAT TFC NOT IN SIGHT; YET HE ACCUSED ME OF PASSING THE TFC WHILE NBOUND UNDER HIS INSTRUCTION EVEN AFTER I QUESTIONED THE INSTRUCTIONS. INITIALLY I WAS SET UP PERFECTLY TO ENTER R TFC RWY 9R AS INSTRUCTED BY APCH WHILE ON VECTORS TO EXPECT. UPON CONTACT WITH TWR I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN N AS INDICATED WHICH I QUESTIONED BUT DID AS TOLD WHILE LOOKING FOR TFC AND RPTED TFC NOT IN SIGHT. I CERTAINLY COULD NOT FOLLOW TFC I COULD NOT SEE, PLUS BY INSTRUCTING ME TO TURN N AND ENTER R TFC, WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION W/O DOING A 360 DEG TURN TO THE R WHICH IS PROHIBITED IN LNDG CONFIGN UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AUTH. I REALLY DO NOT THINK THE CTLR REALLY KNEW WHERE I WAS, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO NEAR MISS OR BAD SITUATION; JUST A BIG CONFLICT OF INSTRUCTION AND SITUATION.

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.