Narrative:

Small aircraft X en route from west palm beach international to hollywood north perry. Called tower after being released from fll tower for transition, about 3 mi northeast of hwo. Immediately received instructions to enter the left base leg for runway 18L and was advised to call on a 2 mi left base and watch for traffic inbound for the same runway from the west on a right base. Reporter advised tower that traffic completing for runway was not in sight. We then called tower upon reaching the 2 mi threshold and again advised that the traffic was not in sight. At that time we were cleared to land on runway 18L. 1 mi from the air field we saw the traffic on the right base for 18L. The high wing trainer was lower and closer to the airport. We advised the tower the traffic was in sight and we were again cleared to land, and that the traffic insight was #2 for landing. To turn final as directed would have probably cut off this lower and closer in traffic. We elected to extend our base, and the traffic turned final. It was evident the tower did not see the traffic and the traffic did not see us. At this time the tower stated that we appeared to be lining up on runway 18R. We responded to state that we were not, but providing necessary spacing. We also reversed direction in order to not cross the final of 18R, and requested a left 360 degree turn, from east heading to an east heading, to provide additional spacing. This maneuver was approved by the tower, and we went on to a normal landing. The most dangerous part of this situation was the tower landing traffic from opp directions on the same runway, when parallel active runways were available. Also, to clear us to land before the closer and lower traffic could have only been caused by an inattentive controller, especially since they are radar equipped. In addition, since the traffic turned final before we did when we were cleared #1, he obviously did not have us in sight, nor did he report so. The tower should be positive traffic following other traffic to land has that landing traffic in sight. At no time did the tower assure that #2 traffic have us in sight. It is our understanding that the north perry tower is a training center for controllers. With the significant amount of traffic and controversy surrounding north perry, perhaps training should take place elsewhere or during non-peak business hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA Y FAILED TO FOLLOW SMA X AS INSTRUCTED.

Narrative: SMA X ENRTE FROM WEST PALM BEACH INTL TO HOLLYWOOD NORTH PERRY. CALLED TWR AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM FLL TWR FOR TRANSITION, ABOUT 3 MI NE OF HWO. IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER THE LEFT BASE LEG FOR RWY 18L AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL ON A 2 MI LEFT BASE AND WATCH FOR TFC INBND FOR THE SAME RWY FROM THE W ON A RIGHT BASE. RPTR ADVISED TWR THAT TFC COMPLETING FOR RWY WAS NOT IN SIGHT. WE THEN CALLED TWR UPON REACHING THE 2 MI THRESHOLD AND AGAIN ADVISED THAT THE TFC WAS NOT IN SIGHT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 18L. 1 MI FROM THE AIR FIELD WE SAW THE TFC ON THE RIGHT BASE FOR 18L. THE HIGH WING TRAINER WAS LOWER AND CLOSER TO THE ARPT. WE ADVISED THE TWR THE TFC WAS IN SIGHT AND WE WERE AGAIN CLRED TO LAND, AND THAT THE TFC INSIGHT WAS #2 FOR LNDG. TO TURN FINAL AS DIRECTED WOULD HAVE PROBABLY CUT OFF THIS LOWER AND CLOSER IN TFC. WE ELECTED TO EXTEND OUR BASE, AND THE TFC TURNED FINAL. IT WAS EVIDENT THE TWR DID NOT SEE THE TFC AND THE TFC DID NOT SEE US. AT THIS TIME THE TWR STATED THAT WE APPEARED TO BE LINING UP ON RWY 18R. WE RESPONDED TO STATE THAT WE WERE NOT, BUT PROVIDING NECESSARY SPACING. WE ALSO REVERSED DIRECTION IN ORDER TO NOT CROSS THE FINAL OF 18R, AND REQUESTED A LEFT 360 DEG TURN, FROM E HDG TO AN E HDG, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SPACING. THIS MANEUVER WAS APPROVED BY THE TWR, AND WE WENT ON TO A NORMAL LNDG. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS SITUATION WAS THE TWR LNDG TFC FROM OPP DIRECTIONS ON THE SAME RWY, WHEN PARALLEL ACTIVE RWYS WERE AVAILABLE. ALSO, TO CLR US TO LAND BEFORE THE CLOSER AND LOWER TFC COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN CAUSED BY AN INATTENTIVE CTLR, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE RADAR EQUIPPED. IN ADDITION, SINCE THE TFC TURNED FINAL BEFORE WE DID WHEN WE WERE CLRED #1, HE OBVIOUSLY DID NOT HAVE US IN SIGHT, NOR DID HE RPT SO. THE TWR SHOULD BE POSITIVE TFC FOLLOWING OTHER TFC TO LAND HAS THAT LNDG TFC IN SIGHT. AT NO TIME DID THE TWR ASSURE THAT #2 TFC HAVE US IN SIGHT. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NORTH PERRY TWR IS A TRNING CENTER FOR CTLRS. WITH THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TFC AND CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING NORTH PERRY, PERHAPS TRNING SHOULD TAKE PLACE ELSEWHERE OR DURING NON-PEAK BUSINESS HRS.

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.