Narrative:

On a fairly high wide base leg to runway 35R at apa we were cleared to land. As we turned final we were told to switch to runway 35L. Since this entails much more taxiing and holding on hot txwys, I asked if we could 'south' turn to give the departing twin (on runway 35R, the reason we were switched) enough room. The young lady in the tower said I could make a 360 degree in either direction. In retrospect, that's what I should have done, but I felt 'south' turns would allow me better control of the situation. I was able to keep the departing twin in sight, continue a slow (60 mph minus headwind) descent and minimize confign changes (flaps, propeller, power). At about a 1/2 mi final I rolled out of my last 'south' turn on runway centerline at 60 mph IAS approach speed with the twin well into their takeoff roll, accelerating away from us. At this point the lady in the tower gave us a very agitated order to 'make an immediate 360 degree or go around.' I elected to make a 360 degree turn. By the time I got the old cessna to flying again, we were down to about 300 ft AGL over a golf course, trying to hold altitude in a circle back to final at a density altitude of approximately 9700 ft (98 degrees F). We rolled out once more on a 1/2 mi final, continued to the runway and landed. I can't recall whether we were cleared to land or not (a 2ND time). To prevent a re- occurrence of this situation I plan to stay away from centennial airport. I had agreed to pick up my 2 passenger there rather than have them drive to my grass, farm strip. I rarely fly into controled airports so my radio technique is a little rusty. Seriously, from now on when the tower tells me to circle I'll do it without question.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT TFC PATTERN CORRECTION.

Narrative: ON A FAIRLY HIGH WIDE BASE LEG TO RWY 35R AT APA WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. AS WE TURNED FINAL WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO RWY 35L. SINCE THIS ENTAILS MUCH MORE TAXIING AND HOLDING ON HOT TXWYS, I ASKED IF WE COULD 'S' TURN TO GIVE THE DEPARTING TWIN (ON RWY 35R, THE REASON WE WERE SWITCHED) ENOUGH ROOM. THE YOUNG LADY IN THE TWR SAID I COULD MAKE A 360 DEG IN EITHER DIRECTION. IN RETROSPECT, THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE, BUT I FELT 'S' TURNS WOULD ALLOW ME BETTER CTL OF THE SIT. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE DEPARTING TWIN IN SIGHT, CONTINUE A SLOW (60 MPH MINUS HEADWIND) DSCNT AND MINIMIZE CONFIGN CHANGES (FLAPS, PROP, PWR). AT ABOUT A 1/2 MI FINAL I ROLLED OUT OF MY LAST 'S' TURN ON RWY CTRLINE AT 60 MPH IAS APCH SPD WITH THE TWIN WELL INTO THEIR TKOF ROLL, ACCELERATING AWAY FROM US. AT THIS POINT THE LADY IN THE TWR GAVE US A VERY AGITATED ORDER TO 'MAKE AN IMMEDIATE 360 DEG OR GAR.' I ELECTED TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN. BY THE TIME I GOT THE OLD CESSNA TO FLYING AGAIN, WE WERE DOWN TO ABOUT 300 FT AGL OVER A GOLF COURSE, TRYING TO HOLD ALT IN A CIRCLE BACK TO FINAL AT A DENSITY ALT OF APPROX 9700 FT (98 DEGS F). WE ROLLED OUT ONCE MORE ON A 1/2 MI FINAL, CONTINUED TO THE RWY AND LANDED. I CAN'T RECALL WHETHER WE WERE CLRED TO LAND OR NOT (A 2ND TIME). TO PREVENT A RE- OCCURRENCE OF THIS SIT I PLAN TO STAY AWAY FROM CENTENNIAL ARPT. I HAD AGREED TO PICK UP MY 2 PAX THERE RATHER THAN HAVE THEM DRIVE TO MY GRASS, FARM STRIP. I RARELY FLY INTO CTLED ARPTS SO MY RADIO TECHNIQUE IS A LITTLE RUSTY. SERIOUSLY, FROM NOW ON WHEN THE TWR TELLS ME TO CIRCLE I'LL DO IT WITHOUT QUESTION.

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.