Narrative:

I am a student pilot, and was on my fourth solo cross country flight. I had to call waukesha tower 2 or 3 times before getting a response. I was told to report right base for runway 10. On base, I again had to call tower 2 or 3 times before being answered. I thought my radio was intermittent. I was cleared to land. On 1/2 mi final, another aircraft Y was about 300 ft off my left wing. It looked like he was also on final, but I wasn't sure. Tower then cleared the other aircraft Y to land, and told me to turn left on first taxiway, taxi to ramp.' the real aircraft on the ground corrected the tower, who then told me to make a left 270 degree turn for final. I responded that I was on final, would do a left 360 degree back to final. Eventually, everybody landed safely. Things could have turned out a lot worse. While doing my left 360 I was low and slow. My airspeed was dropping when I remembered to add power and retract flaps. Contributing factors: 1) I later learned that a single controller was working tower, ground and clearance delivery. He couldn't keep up, and did not know where aircraft were in the pattern. I thought my radio was broken, but ATC simply didn't have time to talk. 2) I should have been more aware of the traffic in the pattern. I was putting all my faith in ATC. 3) I should not have done the 360. I should have gone around instead (as I have been trained to do). I don't know why I didn't.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X HAD NMAC WITH ACFT Y IN TFC PATTERN ON FINAL APCH TO RWY. SEE AND AVOID.

Narrative: I AM A STUDENT PLT, AND WAS ON MY FOURTH SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. I HAD TO CALL WAUKESHA TWR 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE GETTING A RESPONSE. I WAS TOLD TO RPT R BASE FOR RWY 10. ON BASE, I AGAIN HAD TO CALL TWR 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE BEING ANSWERED. I THOUGHT MY RADIO WAS INTERMITTENT. I WAS CLRED TO LAND. ON 1/2 MI FINAL, ANOTHER ACFT Y WAS ABOUT 300 FT OFF MY L WING. IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS ALSO ON FINAL, BUT I WASN'T SURE. TWR THEN CLRED THE OTHER ACFT Y TO LAND, AND TOLD ME TO TURN L ON FIRST TXWY, TAXI TO RAMP.' THE REAL ACFT ON THE GND CORRECTED THE TWR, WHO THEN TOLD ME TO MAKE A L 270 DEG TURN FOR FINAL. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS ON FINAL, WOULD DO A LEFT 360 DEG BACK TO FINAL. EVENTUALLY, EVERYBODY LANDED SAFELY. THINGS COULD HAVE TURNED OUT A LOT WORSE. WHILE DOING MY L 360 I WAS LOW AND SLOW. MY AIRSPD WAS DROPPING WHEN I REMEMBERED TO ADD PWR AND RETRACT FLAPS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) I LATER LEARNED THAT A SINGLE CTLR WAS WORKING TWR, GND AND CLRNC DELIVERY. HE COULDN'T KEEP UP, AND DID NOT KNOW WHERE ACFT WERE IN THE PATTERN. I THOUGHT MY RADIO WAS BROKEN, BUT ATC SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TALK. 2) I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF THE TFC IN THE PATTERN. I WAS PUTTING ALL MY FAITH IN ATC. 3) I SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THE 360. I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND INSTEAD (AS I HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO DO). I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T.

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.