Narrative:

I executed an ILS approach to runway 11 at sjc in IMC. After breaking out of the clouds (at 2000 ft), I canceled my IFR flight plan (at 1500 ft) with san jose tower and requested a VFR clearance direct to rhv. San jose tower granted my clearance, told me to 'squawk 1200,' and I flew a heading of approximately 100 degrees towards rhv. I had never flown to rhv before, but I had done adequate preflight preparation. I also had a panel- mounted GPS on board, set on 'direct to rhv.' at about 7 mi out, I contacted rhv tower and requested 'landing with papa.' listening to the ATIS told me that runways 13L&right were active. I was expecting clearance for runway 13R, since I was coming from the west. The tower told me to 'squawk XXXX' and 'make straight in for runway 13L.' because of the transponder code, I made the assumption that the tower had me on radar, and I queried the tower 'was that runway 13R or runway 13L?' they replied 'runway 13L, and you're #2 behind the cessna on downwind, abeam the numbers.' I looked ahead and to my left, and saw nothing. I then turned on my landing light and taxi light for increased visibility to other aircraft. I looked ahead and to my right and saw an aircraft in the traffic pattern way ahead of me and below me, turning final. I couldn't determine if he was lined up for 13 right or 13 left. I assumed that he was the aircraft that I should be following. I also knew that I was on the tower's radar, and I didn't hear any other radio calls on the frequency. Suddenly, appearing just over my left shoulder was a cessna, descending and merging into my final approach path. I estimate that he was 50 ft above me, and 150 ft behind and to my left and closing fast. I immediately took evasive action to avoid the possibility of a collision, by diving and making a sharp turn to the right. I did not have time to look to the right before executing my emergency maneuver. I immediately informed reid-hillview tower of my action and why it was necessary. I explained that there was some confusion about which aircraft I was supposed to have been following, and that was why I was diverting to the right. (A left hand turn would not have been possible). My intention was then to make a right 360 degree turn and set up for another approach. The tower was apparently upset with ;my evasive action, and announced that I had 'cut across the path of another aircraft on final for 13 right.' I never saw this other aircraft, just as the cessna apparently never saw me. Then the tower gave me clearance to land on runway 13 right, which I did without incident. In my opinion, I probably should have questioned the tower when I didn't see the cessna within a few seconds after it was originally called out to me. I also feel the tower, with radar at its disposal, should not have ever let us get that close in the first place. It also seems that the absence of other radio chatter on the frequency compounded the problem. I assume that the other aircraft may have been on the 119.8 frequency.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN 2 SMA.

Narrative: I EXECUTED AN ILS APCH TO RWY 11 AT SJC IN IMC. AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS (AT 2000 FT), I CANCELED MY IFR FLT PLAN (AT 1500 FT) WITH SAN JOSE TWR AND REQUESTED A VFR CLRNC DIRECT TO RHV. SAN JOSE TWR GRANTED MY CLRNC, TOLD ME TO 'SQUAWK 1200,' AND I FLEW A HDG OF APPROX 100 DEGS TOWARDS RHV. I HAD NEVER FLOWN TO RHV BEFORE, BUT I HAD DONE ADEQUATE PREFLT PREPARATION. I ALSO HAD A PANEL- MOUNTED GPS ON BOARD, SET ON 'DIRECT TO RHV.' AT ABOUT 7 MI OUT, I CONTACTED RHV TWR AND REQUESTED 'LNDG WITH PAPA.' LISTENING TO THE ATIS TOLD ME THAT RWYS 13L&R WERE ACTIVE. I WAS EXPECTING CLRNC FOR RWY 13R, SINCE I WAS COMING FROM THE W. THE TWR TOLD ME TO 'SQUAWK XXXX' AND 'MAKE STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 13L.' BECAUSE OF THE XPONDER CODE, I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TWR HAD ME ON RADAR, AND I QUERIED THE TWR 'WAS THAT RWY 13R OR RWY 13L?' THEY REPLIED 'RWY 13L, AND YOU'RE #2 BEHIND THE CESSNA ON DOWNWIND, ABEAM THE NUMBERS.' I LOOKED AHEAD AND TO MY L, AND SAW NOTHING. I THEN TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT AND TAXI LIGHT FOR INCREASED VISIBILITY TO OTHER ACFT. I LOOKED AHEAD AND TO MY R AND SAW AN ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN WAY AHEAD OF ME AND BELOW ME, TURNING FINAL. I COULDN'T DETERMINE IF HE WAS LINED UP FOR 13 R OR 13 L. I ASSUMED THAT HE WAS THE ACFT THAT I SHOULD BE FOLLOWING. I ALSO KNEW THAT I WAS ON THE TWR'S RADAR, AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANY OTHER RADIO CALLS ON THE FREQ. SUDDENLY, APPEARING JUST OVER MY L SHOULDER WAS A CESSNA, DSNDING AND MERGING INTO MY FINAL APCH PATH. I ESTIMATE THAT HE WAS 50 FT ABOVE ME, AND 150 FT BEHIND AND TO MY L AND CLOSING FAST. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF A COLLISION, BY DIVING AND MAKING A SHARP TURN TO THE R. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO LOOK TO THE R BEFORE EXECUTING MY EMER MANEUVER. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED REID-HILLVIEW TWR OF MY ACTION AND WHY IT WAS NECESSARY. I EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHICH ACFT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING, AND THAT WAS WHY I WAS DIVERTING TO THE R. (A LEFT HAND TURN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE). MY INTENTION WAS THEN TO MAKE A R 360 DEG TURN AND SET UP FOR ANOTHER APCH. THE TWR WAS APPARENTLY UPSET WITH ;MY EVASIVE ACTION, AND ANNOUNCED THAT I HAD 'CUT ACROSS THE PATH OF ANOTHER ACFT ON FINAL FOR 13 R.' I NEVER SAW THIS OTHER ACFT, JUST AS THE CESSNA APPARENTLY NEVER SAW ME. THEN THE TWR GAVE ME CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 13 R, WHICH I DID WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN MY OPINION, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE TWR WHEN I DIDN'T SEE THE CESSNA WITHIN A FEW SECONDS AFTER IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED OUT TO ME. I ALSO FEEL THE TWR, WITH RADAR AT ITS DISPOSAL, SHOULD NOT HAVE EVER LET US GET THAT CLOSE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT ALSO SEEMS THAT THE ABSENCE OF OTHER RADIO CHATTER ON THE FREQ COMPOUNDED THE PROB. I ASSUME THAT THE OTHER ACFT MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE 119.8 FREQ.

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.