Incorrect ATC instruction caused pilot confusion in traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	152864
Time
Date	199007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak tower : bur
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	152864
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I had been cleared to land runway 33R traffic when handed off from bay approach I (in arsa) to oakland tower. When on right downwind the tower cleared another aircraft for a low approach on runway 27, landing runway 33. Since it had been a few mins since communicating with the tower (they were very busy) I decided to let him know I was just turning base for runway 33. His response was 'small aircraft X turn right and extend your downwind.' he did not wait for a response, but continued to give clrncs to other aircraft. His instruction to me was impossible to follow. Turning right took me to final, extending my downwind which required a left turn took me over runways 27 right and left. I ended up making the left turn and as soon as I could get a word in edgewise, told him I was now over runway 27R. He got real mad and repeated the instruction to 'turn right and continue downwind!' making a right 180 degree turn put me downwind of runway 15, which I did and reported that to him. He then said, 'everybody standby, let me get this guy on the ground.' he then vectored me downwind runway 27 and put me on a low approach runway 27R, with landing on runway 33. I asked ground if I could talk to this guy on the phone after landing. They said he was too busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INCORRECT ATC INSTRUCTION CAUSED PLT CONFUSION IN TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND RWY 33R TFC WHEN HANDED OFF FROM BAY APCH I (IN ARSA) TO OAKLAND TWR. WHEN ON R DOWNWIND THE TWR CLRED ANOTHER ACFT FOR A LOW APCH ON RWY 27, LNDG RWY 33. SINCE IT HAD BEEN A FEW MINS SINCE COMMUNICATING WITH THE TWR (THEY WERE VERY BUSY) I DECIDED TO LET HIM KNOW I WAS JUST TURNING BASE FOR RWY 33. HIS RESPONSE WAS 'SMA X TURN R AND EXTEND YOUR DOWNWIND.' HE DID NOT WAIT FOR A RESPONSE, BUT CONTINUED TO GIVE CLRNCS TO OTHER ACFT. HIS INSTRUCTION TO ME WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW. TURNING R TOOK ME TO FINAL, EXTENDING MY DOWNWIND WHICH REQUIRED A L TURN TOOK ME OVER RWYS 27 R AND L. I ENDED UP MAKING THE L TURN AND AS SOON AS I COULD GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE, TOLD HIM I WAS NOW OVER RWY 27R. HE GOT REAL MAD AND REPEATED THE INSTRUCTION TO 'TURN R AND CONTINUE DOWNWIND!' MAKING A R 180 DEG TURN PUT ME DOWNWIND OF RWY 15, WHICH I DID AND RPTED THAT TO HIM. HE THEN SAID, 'EVERYBODY STANDBY, LET ME GET THIS GUY ON THE GND.' HE THEN VECTORED ME DOWNWIND RWY 27 AND PUT ME ON A LOW APCH RWY 27R, WITH LNDG ON RWY 33. I ASKED GND IF I COULD TALK TO THIS GUY ON THE PHONE AFTER LNDG. THEY SAID HE WAS TOO BUSY.

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.