Near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	289436
Time
Date	199411
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1050 flight time type : 330
ASRS Report	289436
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC cleared me from the arizona biltmore to cross over the approach end of runways 8L/right at 3000 ft and to expect runway 8R, then to contact tower. I did not have the runway in sight and was unfamiliar with the area. After contacting the tower, I proceeded towards the airport. Before I had the airport in sight I started to cross over about mid-field. Problem #1: I inadvertently crossed over mid-field not approach end as instructed. The tower instructed me to turn right to get closer to the approach end of the runway. I complied. I was then instructed to enter a right downwind, to descend to 2100 ft, then make left 360 degree turns abeam the numbers. The tower then instructed me to tighten up and get in closer. While I was moving in closer, the tower again advised me to move in closer still. ATC then instructed after completion of 360 degree turn to continue downwind and ATC will call when to turn base. I complied. ATC then instructed me to turn base, and then cleared me to land runway 8R. As I started to turn final, I saw the 737 that was on final. Realizing I was on a converging course, I steepened the bank. At that time ATC requested I verify I was landing runway 8R and that I make an immediate right turn. While I was in the steep turn, I saw that I had overshot runway 8R and had attempted to turn final for runway 8L. I continued the turn to line up for runway 8R and landed runway 8R. I believe contributing factors are that I was unfamiliar with the area. I made inadequate preflight planning, ie, become familiar with airport diagrams and layout. Also, ATC's request that I fly in a much tighter pattern than I normally fly thus restricting visibility due to wings and engine nacelles except when turning towards the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: ATC CLRED ME FROM THE ARIZONA BILTMORE TO CROSS OVER THE APCH END OF RWYS 8L/R AT 3000 FT AND TO EXPECT RWY 8R, THEN TO CONTACT TWR. I DID NOT HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT AND WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. AFTER CONTACTING THE TWR, I PROCEEDED TOWARDS THE ARPT. BEFORE I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT I STARTED TO CROSS OVER ABOUT MID-FIELD. PROB #1: I INADVERTENTLY CROSSED OVER MID-FIELD NOT APCH END AS INSTRUCTED. THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN R TO GET CLOSER TO THE APCH END OF THE RWY. I COMPLIED. I WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND, TO DSND TO 2100 FT, THEN MAKE L 360 DEG TURNS ABEAM THE NUMBERS. THE TWR THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO TIGHTEN UP AND GET IN CLOSER. WHILE I WAS MOVING IN CLOSER, THE TWR AGAIN ADVISED ME TO MOVE IN CLOSER STILL. ATC THEN INSTRUCTED AFTER COMPLETION OF 360 DEG TURN TO CONTINUE DOWNWIND AND ATC WILL CALL WHEN TO TURN BASE. I COMPLIED. ATC THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN BASE, AND THEN CLRED ME TO LAND RWY 8R. AS I STARTED TO TURN FINAL, I SAW THE 737 THAT WAS ON FINAL. REALIZING I WAS ON A CONVERGING COURSE, I STEEPENED THE BANK. AT THAT TIME ATC REQUESTED I VERIFY I WAS LNDG RWY 8R AND THAT I MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN. WHILE I WAS IN THE STEEP TURN, I SAW THAT I HAD OVERSHOT RWY 8R AND HAD ATTEMPTED TO TURN FINAL FOR RWY 8L. I CONTINUED THE TURN TO LINE UP FOR RWY 8R AND LANDED RWY 8R. I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. I MADE INADEQUATE PREFLT PLANNING, IE, BECOME FAMILIAR WITH ARPT DIAGRAMS AND LAYOUT. ALSO, ATC'S REQUEST THAT I FLY IN A MUCH TIGHTER PATTERN THAN I NORMALLY FLY THUS RESTRICTING VISIBILITY DUE TO WINGS AND ENG NACELLES EXCEPT WHEN TURNING TOWARDS THE ARPT.

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.