Small transport makes 180 degree turn on base leg when unable to sight traffic, a 737 on final.

Attributes
ACN	275761
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jnu
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jnu
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Golden Eagle 421
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	275761
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a VFR flight from sitka to juneau, ak, I made a 180 degree right turn while on a right base for runway 8 at jnu. My initial call to jnu tower was at 10 mi south. The controller asked me to report a 5 mi right base for runway 8. Also on frequency was a B-737. The jet was on the lda-1 runway 8. With a ceiling of approximately 1500 ft I was not able to see the jet (should have been at 10- 11 O'clock). While I continued inbound on the right base, jnu tower asked for my position. I then reported 5 mi southwest. Apparently the tower controller did not have me in sight and asked if I could see downtown jnu. I replied that I could. The controller asked if I was coming in from downtown (from the east?) I said no, we're southwest and coming in from the west, from lynn canal. The controller asked if I was over some local landmark and I said that I was not familiar with the local area. All the while (1 or 2 mins passed) I was reducing through 150 KTS for gear extension and still looking for the jet. I was not able to communicate my actual location in reference to local landmarks and the tower controller was not clear as to where I was. Meantime I am getting closer to the final approach path and do not see the 737. I executed a right 180 degree turn (toward the airport, then back to the south) and reported this to the tower. Upon rolling out to the south I can see the jet at my 5 O'clock, the tower now has me in sight, I report the jet in sight and turn back to my right base for runway 8. The rest of the approach was uneventful. Contributing factors: 1500 ft ceiling. Low hills west and southwest of the airport restrict the pilot's view of the airport and the controller's view of aircraft on the far side of the hills. Pilot's unfamiliarity with local landmarks (lynn canal is northwest). Controller's use of local landmarks versus position from airport. Lack of approach radar. P.south. I spoke with jnu tower after this incident and they commented that they saw my landing lights (C-421A) when I made the right 180 degree turn, and then saw B-737. Estimated separation 1.5 - 2 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT MAKES 180 DEG TURN ON BASE LEG WHEN UNABLE TO SIGHT TFC, A 737 ON FINAL.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM SITKA TO JUNEAU, AK, I MADE A 180 DEG R TURN WHILE ON A R BASE FOR RWY 8 AT JNU. MY INITIAL CALL TO JNU TWR WAS AT 10 MI S. THE CTLR ASKED ME TO RPT A 5 MI R BASE FOR RWY 8. ALSO ON FREQ WAS A B-737. THE JET WAS ON THE LDA-1 RWY 8. WITH A CEILING OF APPROX 1500 FT I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE JET (SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 10- 11 O'CLOCK). WHILE I CONTINUED INBOUND ON THE R BASE, JNU TWR ASKED FOR MY POS. I THEN RPTED 5 MI SW. APPARENTLY THE TWR CTLR DID NOT HAVE ME IN SIGHT AND ASKED IF I COULD SEE DOWNTOWN JNU. I REPLIED THAT I COULD. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS COMING IN FROM DOWNTOWN (FROM THE E?) I SAID NO, WE'RE SW AND COMING IN FROM THE W, FROM LYNN CANAL. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS OVER SOME LCL LANDMARK AND I SAID THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL AREA. ALL THE WHILE (1 OR 2 MINS PASSED) I WAS REDUCING THROUGH 150 KTS FOR GEAR EXTENSION AND STILL LOOKING FOR THE JET. I WAS NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MY ACTUAL LOCATION IN REF TO LCL LANDMARKS AND THE TWR CTLR WAS NOT CLR AS TO WHERE I WAS. MEANTIME I AM GETTING CLOSER TO THE FINAL APCH PATH AND DO NOT SEE THE 737. I EXECUTED A R 180 DEG TURN (TOWARD THE ARPT, THEN BACK TO THE S) AND RPTED THIS TO THE TWR. UPON ROLLING OUT TO THE S I CAN SEE THE JET AT MY 5 O'CLOCK, THE TWR NOW HAS ME IN SIGHT, I RPT THE JET IN SIGHT AND TURN BACK TO MY R BASE FOR RWY 8. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1500 FT CEILING. LOW HILLS W AND SW OF THE ARPT RESTRICT THE PLT'S VIEW OF THE ARPT AND THE CTLR'S VIEW OF ACFT ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE HILLS. PLT'S UNFAMILIARITY WITH LCL LANDMARKS (LYNN CANAL IS NW). CTLR'S USE OF LCL LANDMARKS VERSUS POS FROM ARPT. LACK OF APCH RADAR. P.S. I SPOKE WITH JNU TWR AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND THEY COMMENTED THAT THEY SAW MY LNDG LIGHTS (C-421A) WHEN I MADE THE R 180 DEG TURN, AND THEN SAW B-737. ESTIMATED SEPARATION 1.5 - 2 MI.

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.