Narrative:

I (X) was on a tower to tower IFR flight from san diego municipal airport (sdm) to carlsbad mcclellan-palomar (crq) airport. Arriving at palomar, san diego, socal approach turned me over to crq tower for a visual approach to runway 24. Upon contacting crq tower I was instructed to maintain a left downwind for sequencing for the visual approach. Note: the normal traffic pattern for runway 24 is right traffic. I was told to expect to follow a commuter airline (Y) some 3-4 mi on final. At a position abeam to 2 mi on final, I was told to turn base to follow a light aircraft (Z) on right base to final. As I rolled out on base I was told something like 'continue about another mi, then turn right to follow another aircraft' or something to that effect. I was thoroughly confused. I asked for a repeat -- no answer. I asked again -- no answer. I was now getting close to traffic on right downwind so I held my altitude (approximately 1000 ft) so as to clear traffic on right downwind. Soon after, I was cleared to land runway 24. Now going away from the airport, I made a left 140 degree turn becoming on a dogleg, 1 mi final, still at approximately 1000 ft. I selected full flaps and full spoilers in an attempt to land but was now badly destabilized, too high and too fast, so made a go around. I was instructed to re-enter right downwind, suggested to fly slow on downwind for spacing. I was subsequently cleared for landing on runway 24. This approach and landing was normal. In all of my 42 yrs of military and civilian flying, I have not been handled this badly -- not even during my 972 hours combat flying hours in southeast asia. Nor were my 5 passenger very happy with the ride. After flying in and out of crq for the past 4 yrs, I am convinced this is a very dangerous facility to operate to and from.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C501 PLT BECOMES CONFUSED WITH CRQ ATCT SEQUENCING INSTRUCTIONS AND INITIATES A GAR.

Narrative: I (X) WAS ON A TWR TO TWR IFR FLT FROM SAN DIEGO MUNICIPAL ARPT (SDM) TO CARLSBAD MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR (CRQ) ARPT. ARRIVING AT PALOMAR, SAN DIEGO, SOCAL APCH TURNED ME OVER TO CRQ TWR FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24. UPON CONTACTING CRQ TWR I WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN A L DOWNWIND FOR SEQUENCING FOR THE VISUAL APCH. NOTE: THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 24 IS R TFC. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT TO FOLLOW A COMMUTER AIRLINE (Y) SOME 3-4 MI ON FINAL. AT A POS ABEAM TO 2 MI ON FINAL, I WAS TOLD TO TURN BASE TO FOLLOW A LIGHT ACFT (Z) ON R BASE TO FINAL. AS I ROLLED OUT ON BASE I WAS TOLD SOMETHING LIKE 'CONTINUE ABOUT ANOTHER MI, THEN TURN R TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT' OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. I WAS THOROUGHLY CONFUSED. I ASKED FOR A REPEAT -- NO ANSWER. I ASKED AGAIN -- NO ANSWER. I WAS NOW GETTING CLOSE TO TFC ON R DOWNWIND SO I HELD MY ALT (APPROX 1000 FT) SO AS TO CLR TFC ON R DOWNWIND. SOON AFTER, I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 24. NOW GOING AWAY FROM THE ARPT, I MADE A L 140 DEG TURN BECOMING ON A DOGLEG, 1 MI FINAL, STILL AT APPROX 1000 FT. I SELECTED FULL FLAPS AND FULL SPOILERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND BUT WAS NOW BADLY DESTABILIZED, TOO HIGH AND TOO FAST, SO MADE A GAR. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO RE-ENTER R DOWNWIND, SUGGESTED TO FLY SLOW ON DOWNWIND FOR SPACING. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR LNDG ON RWY 24. THIS APCH AND LNDG WAS NORMAL. IN ALL OF MY 42 YRS OF MIL AND CIVILIAN FLYING, I HAVE NOT BEEN HANDLED THIS BADLY -- NOT EVEN DURING MY 972 HRS COMBAT FLYING HRS IN SE ASIA. NOR WERE MY 5 PAX VERY HAPPY WITH THE RIDE. AFTER FLYING IN AND OUT OF CRQ FOR THE PAST 4 YRS, I AM CONVINCED THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FACILITY TO OPERATE TO AND FROM.

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.