Narrative:

After canceling IFR with rsw approach control, I contacted apf tower and was notified that I was cleared for the visual approach for runway 31. As I began to turn final (about 3 mi) for runway 31, and then aircraft called apf tower and stated in 'very broken english' that his engine was not developing power and he was returning to land immediately. Apf tower advised him that any runway was available, winds favored runway 31 and to report 1 mi north of the field. While this conversation was going on, I began a left turn to break away from runway 4 final approach. As I was turning, apf tower told me to break off the visual approach and he said to roll wings level and he thought the traffic was at my 3:00 O'clock position. As I looked right there was no traffic, and, as I began my left turn, I spotted the traffic with engine problem at my 11-11:30 O'clock at about 100-200 ft horizontally and 50 ft vertical. I made an immediate climbing right turn to miss the aircraft. It was my belief that the other pilot never saw our aircraft. Based upon comments by the tower, it appeared that he saw the near miss occur and he instructed the other pilot to call the tower upon landing. 1) I find myself getting very frustrated with foreign students and pilots, students especially in florida who have very poor english speaking skills. In my opinion based upon the pilot's discussion to the tower, the tower thought the pilot departed to the north. 2) with the heavy amount of corporate and commuter traffic in and out of apf, I find it ridiculous that apf does not have its own approach control facility nor their own radar coverage. This is currently provided by rsw facility. I believe it will only be a matter of time before a midair occurs at apf.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: AFTER CANCELING IFR WITH RSW APCH CTL, I CONTACTED APF TWR AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 31. AS I BEGAN TO TURN FINAL (ABOUT 3 MI) FOR RWY 31, AND THEN ACFT CALLED APF TWR AND STATED IN 'VERY BROKEN ENGLISH' THAT HIS ENG WAS NOT DEVELOPING PWR AND HE WAS RETURNING TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. APF TWR ADVISED HIM THAT ANY RWY WAS AVAILABLE, WINDS FAVORED RWY 31 AND TO RPT 1 MI N OF THE FIELD. WHILE THIS CONVERSATION WAS GOING ON, I BEGAN A L TURN TO BREAK AWAY FROM RWY 4 FINAL APCH. AS I WAS TURNING, APF TWR TOLD ME TO BREAK OFF THE VISUAL APCH AND HE SAID TO ROLL WINGS LEVEL AND HE THOUGHT THE TFC WAS AT MY 3:00 O'CLOCK POS. AS I LOOKED R THERE WAS NO TFC, AND, AS I BEGAN MY L TURN, I SPOTTED THE TFC WITH ENG PROB AT MY 11-11:30 O'CLOCK AT ABOUT 100-200 FT HORIZLY AND 50 FT VERT. I MADE AN IMMEDIATE CLBING R TURN TO MISS THE ACFT. IT WAS MY BELIEF THAT THE OTHER PLT NEVER SAW OUR ACFT. BASED UPON COMMENTS BY THE TWR, IT APPEARED THAT HE SAW THE NEAR MISS OCCUR AND HE INSTRUCTED THE OTHER PLT TO CALL THE TWR UPON LNDG. 1) I FIND MYSELF GETTING VERY FRUSTRATED WITH FOREIGN STUDENTS AND PLTS, STUDENTS ESPECIALLY IN FLORIDA WHO HAVE VERY POOR ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS. IN MY OPINION BASED UPON THE PLT'S DISCUSSION TO THE TWR, THE TWR THOUGHT THE PLT DEPARTED TO THE N. 2) WITH THE HVY AMOUNT OF CORPORATE AND COMMUTER TFC IN AND OUT OF APF, I FIND IT RIDICULOUS THAT APF DOES NOT HAVE ITS OWN APCH CTL FACILITY NOR THEIR OWN RADAR COVERAGE. THIS IS CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY RSW FACILITY. I BELIEVE IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A MIDAIR OCCURS AT APF.

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.