Narrative:

En route from orange county airport in ny, to new haven airport in ct. I was on a easterly heading VMC. About 10 mi from hvn I contacted the tower and was instructed to report on right downwind for runway 20. Since I was new to the area I arrived approximately 1/2 mi to the north. A smooth transition to a right downwind to runway 20 would have required an arrival on the south side so to establish myself on right downwind I began to circle the airport in a wide right turn. When abeam the approach end of runway 20, heading 20 degrees I noticed a single engine aircraft at my altitude on a left downwind to runway 20. To allow the other aircraft right of way, I kept to his left approximately 500 ft. When the other aircraft was off my right wing I heard him call the tower and ask if they knew I was there. The controller responded by calling me and asking if I was circling, when I acknowledged he asked what my intentions were. I responded by telling him that I was circling the airport to establish myself on a right downwind to runway 20 as requested. The controller responded by telling me to turn 180 degrees to the left and establish myself on a left downwind to runway 20 and to remain on the frequency. When I was abeam runway 20 on left downwind the controller cleared me to land, he then went on to ask if I had approached the airport from the west, I answered that was affirmative, then he asked if I was disoriented and I told him that I was just new to the area. In retrospect I should have given the controller a position report when I first had the airport in sight giving him the option of issuing new instructions. I also believe that since the controller was expecting me to be arriving at the airport, he should not have been taken by surprise by my presence. I also was quite visible with strobe and beacon lights on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ORANGE COUNTY ARPT IN NY, TO NEW HAVEN ARPT IN CT. I WAS ON A EASTERLY HDG VMC. ABOUT 10 MI FROM HVN I CONTACTED THE TWR AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO RPT ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 20. SINCE I WAS NEW TO THE AREA I ARRIVED APPROX 1/2 MI TO THE N. A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 20 WOULD HAVE REQUIRED AN ARR ON THE S SIDE SO TO ESTABLISH MYSELF ON R DOWNWIND I BEGAN TO CIRCLE THE ARPT IN A WIDE R TURN. WHEN ABEAM THE APCH END OF RWY 20, HDG 20 DEGS I NOTICED A SINGLE ENG ACFT AT MY ALT ON A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 20. TO ALLOW THE OTHER ACFT RIGHT OF WAY, I KEPT TO HIS L APPROX 500 FT. WHEN THE OTHER ACFT WAS OFF MY R WING I HEARD HIM CALL THE TWR AND ASK IF THEY KNEW I WAS THERE. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY CALLING ME AND ASKING IF I WAS CIRCLING, WHEN I ACKNOWLEDGED HE ASKED WHAT MY INTENTIONS WERE. I RESPONDED BY TELLING HIM THAT I WAS CIRCLING THE ARPT TO ESTABLISH MYSELF ON A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 20 AS REQUESTED. THE CTLR RESPONDED BY TELLING ME TO TURN 180 DEGS TO THE L AND ESTABLISH MYSELF ON A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 20 AND TO REMAIN ON THE FREQ. WHEN I WAS ABEAM RWY 20 ON L DOWNWIND THE CTLR CLRED ME TO LAND, HE THEN WENT ON TO ASK IF I HAD APCHED THE ARPT FROM THE W, I ANSWERED THAT WAS AFFIRMATIVE, THEN HE ASKED IF I WAS DISORIENTED AND I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS JUST NEW TO THE AREA. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THE CTLR A POS RPT WHEN I FIRST HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT GIVING HIM THE OPTION OF ISSUING NEW INSTRUCTIONS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE CTLR WAS EXPECTING ME TO BE ARRIVING AT THE ARPT, HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY SURPRISE BY MY PRESENCE. I ALSO WAS QUITE VISIBLE WITH STROBE AND BEACON LIGHTS ON.

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.