Small aircraft pilot on descent to pao given traffic advisory. Sighted, but not in position called.

Attributes
ACN	154864
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1900 msl bound upper : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pao
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 560 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	154864
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 75
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight fom sac to pao. I received radar advisories en route from sacramento, stockton and bay approachs before having flight following terminated over the niles area. I proceeded toward pao reporting to the pao control tower 'coming up' on the leslie salt flats with the current ATIS. I was told to report entering right downwind for runway 30. I was making a gradual descent from 1900' MSL. When I was given small transport traffic northeast of kgo. I had just xed the shoreline directly east of kgo and southeast of the dumbarton railroad bridge. I scanned toward kgo then back to 12 O'clock at which point I sighted the small transport directly in my 12 O'clock position between 50-100' above me. I initiated an immediate descent, leveled off, then continued on ahead into the traffic pattern at pao west/O incident. I reported the near miss to the tower after I had landed, my concern being that I had been given an erroneous position on the small transport. The small transport was not northeast of kgo but actually east to possibly southeast of kgo.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON DESCENT TO PAO GIVEN TRAFFIC ADVISORY. SIGHTED, BUT NOT IN POSITION CALLED.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FOM SAC TO PAO. I RECEIVED RADAR ADVISORIES ENRTE FROM SACRAMENTO, STOCKTON AND BAY APCHS BEFORE HAVING FLT FOLLOWING TERMINATED OVER THE NILES AREA. I PROCEEDED TOWARD PAO RPTING TO THE PAO CTL TWR 'COMING UP' ON THE LESLIE SALT FLATS WITH THE CURRENT ATIS. I WAS TOLD TO RPT ENTERING R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30. I WAS MAKING A GRADUAL DSNT FROM 1900' MSL. WHEN I WAS GIVEN SMT TFC NE OF KGO. I HAD JUST XED THE SHORELINE DIRECTLY E OF KGO AND SE OF THE DUMBARTON RAILROAD BRIDGE. I SCANNED TOWARD KGO THEN BACK TO 12 O'CLOCK AT WHICH POINT I SIGHTED THE SMT DIRECTLY IN MY 12 O'CLOCK POS BTWN 50-100' ABOVE ME. I INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE DSNT, LEVELED OFF, THEN CONTINUED ON AHEAD INTO THE TFC PATTERN AT PAO W/O INCIDENT. I RPTED THE NEAR MISS TO THE TWR AFTER I HAD LANDED, MY CONCERN BEING THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN AN ERRONEOUS POS ON THE SMT. THE SMT WAS NOT NE OF KGO BUT ACTUALLY E TO POSSIBLY SE OF KGO.

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.