Narrative:

I approached apa from the west, making my original call about 10 mi out. I was told by tower to 'enter left base for runway 35R and report crossing I25.' as I proceeded inbound I heard a 'douglas' call 'castle rock' (about 12 NM south) and request a 'low pass and right break runway 35R.' the controller said 'I have your request.' a couple of mins later the other aircraft idented itself as a 'douglas dauntless' and repeated its request. I do not believe the controller ever actually cleared it for its low pass. As I crossed the highway I reported in and was told my traffic was a cessna on right base for runway 35L. It appeared to me that we had crossing bases for runway 35L and runway 35R. I called traffic in sight and was told to follow that cessna. I continued my approach to runway 35R but was slowing up as much as possible. As I lifted the right wing to turn final, there was the douglas dauntless making an extreme right turn to avoid a collision. I increased my left bank to about 60 degrees and ended up on final for runway 35L. The controller cleared me to land runway 35L. As I was flaring the controller told me to 'follow the aircraft on short final.' I said 'I am the aircraft on short final.' my conclusions about what caused the near miss: 1) if I made a mistake it was in hearing the original call. Was the controller planning runway 35L for me, not runway 35R? 2) the dauntless was probably well over 200 KTS and why request a low pass on a hazy, busy day? Did he actually get permission for that low pass? 3) the controller should have said no to the 200 KT low pass. The controller appeared to have no idea where I was, despite my showing all lights and making all radio calls. Corrective action: the controller needs to take control and be sure of where all aircraft are. The controller should not allow grandstanding by fast warbirds when there is a pattern full of slow planes.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS NMAC WITH AN A24 FIGHTER APPARENTLY A PVT ACFT ON APCH TO APA, CO.

Narrative: I APCHED APA FROM THE W, MAKING MY ORIGINAL CALL ABOUT 10 MI OUT. I WAS TOLD BY TWR TO 'ENTER L BASE FOR RWY 35R AND RPT XING I25.' AS I PROCEEDED INBOUND I HEARD A 'DOUGLAS' CALL 'CASTLE ROCK' (ABOUT 12 NM S) AND REQUEST A 'LOW PASS AND R BREAK RWY 35R.' THE CTLR SAID 'I HAVE YOUR REQUEST.' A COUPLE OF MINS LATER THE OTHER ACFT IDENTED ITSELF AS A 'DOUGLAS DAUNTLESS' AND REPEATED ITS REQUEST. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CTLR EVER ACTUALLY CLRED IT FOR ITS LOW PASS. AS I CROSSED THE HWY I RPTED IN AND WAS TOLD MY TFC WAS A CESSNA ON R BASE FOR RWY 35L. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT WE HAD XING BASES FOR RWY 35L AND RWY 35R. I CALLED TFC IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW THAT CESSNA. I CONTINUED MY APCH TO RWY 35R BUT WAS SLOWING UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AS I LIFTED THE R WING TO TURN FINAL, THERE WAS THE DOUGLAS DAUNTLESS MAKING AN EXTREME R TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION. I INCREASED MY L BANK TO ABOUT 60 DEGS AND ENDED UP ON FINAL FOR RWY 35L. THE CTLR CLRED ME TO LAND RWY 35L. AS I WAS FLARING THE CTLR TOLD ME TO 'FOLLOW THE ACFT ON SHORT FINAL.' I SAID 'I AM THE ACFT ON SHORT FINAL.' MY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE NEAR MISS: 1) IF I MADE A MISTAKE IT WAS IN HEARING THE ORIGINAL CALL. WAS THE CTLR PLANNING RWY 35L FOR ME, NOT RWY 35R? 2) THE DAUNTLESS WAS PROBABLY WELL OVER 200 KTS AND WHY REQUEST A LOW PASS ON A HAZY, BUSY DAY? DID HE ACTUALLY GET PERMISSION FOR THAT LOW PASS? 3) THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE SAID NO TO THE 200 KT LOW PASS. THE CTLR APPEARED TO HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I WAS, DESPITE MY SHOWING ALL LIGHTS AND MAKING ALL RADIO CALLS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE CTLR NEEDS TO TAKE CTL AND BE SURE OF WHERE ALL ACFT ARE. THE CTLR SHOULD NOT ALLOW GRANDSTANDING BY FAST WARBIRDS WHEN THERE IS A PATTERN FULL OF SLOW PLANES.

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.