Narrative:

On sep/xa/99, I was returning to home base ZZZ, nj, from a pleasure flight to block island, ri (bid). WX was VFR, visibility 10 mi, clear below 12000 ft, no flight plan was filed. I crossed the carmel VOR at 4500 ft, then proceeded west on the 260 degree radial. I descended to 3000 ft, then to 2000 ft to remain clear of new york class C airspace. At approximately XC15, I obtained current ATIS at caldwell (using runway 22) and intercepted the localizer approximately 15 mi from the airport. I switched from new york approach frequency to caldwell tower to monitor traffic flow. Note: when runway 22 is in use, tower will usually allow a straight-in approach. Approximately 8 mi out (GPS), I called the tower for landing instructions. The controller acknowledged and advised of a 'bonanza on the localizer 7 mi out' and asked if I had traffic in sight. I replied in the negative. The controller asked again, then denied the straight-in approach due to traffic and instructed me to enter a left downwind for runway 22. I acknowledged and repeated 'left downwind for runway 22.' the controller asked twice more about the traffic ahead of me. I observed no traffic. The other pilot also reported 'no contact.' I honestly believe that bonanza pilot was incorrect in reporting his position since I would definitely have seen him only 1 mi ahead of me. I became preoccupied with this other aircraft believing that he may, in fact, have been behind me. Contrary to instructions, I proceeded to fly to the west of the field to enter a right downwind for runway 22. The standard traffic pattern for runway 22 is right traffic. It should be noted that in 8 yrs of flying out of caldwell, I have never been asked to fly left traffic for runway 22. I apparently heard and acknowledged my instructions and acted based on what I expected to hear. As I was west of the field at pattern altitude (1200 ft), the controller asked for my position. I reported west of the field, when he replied 'I told you to enter a left downwind. Now enter right downwind for runway 22, use caution for a cessna departing runway 27.' I proceeded to square lake (reporting point for right downwind entry to runway 22). As I did so, the cessna, departing runway 27, passed under me at approximately 200 ft. Being a low wing aircraft, my vision below was limited. The cessna pilot angrily reported that I had just passed directly overhead. The controller replied 'we'll take care of it on the ground.' I reported 'over square lake.' the controller asked if I had 'the high wing on downwind in sight.' I replied affirmative. He instructed me to follow the cessna and that I was '#2, cleared to land.' I followed the cessna and landed without incident. Upon landing, I was instructed to switch to ground. I did so and was cleared to taxi to the t-hangars. There was no further communication with the tower. I believe that the cause of this incident was my preoccupation with the possible traffic conflict while approaching the airport and my failure to listen and act on what was said rather than acting on what I have always heard and what I expected to hear. I have learned a valuable lesson.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32-300T PLT EXPECTING L TFC PROCEEDS ON HABIT RATHER THAN ATC INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER R TFC AND HAS CONFLICT (NMAC) ARRIVING CDW.

Narrative: ON SEP/XA/99, I WAS RETURNING TO HOME BASE ZZZ, NJ, FROM A PLEASURE FLT TO BLOCK ISLAND, RI (BID). WX WAS VFR, VISIBILITY 10 MI, CLR BELOW 12000 FT, NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. I CROSSED THE CARMEL VOR AT 4500 FT, THEN PROCEEDED W ON THE 260 DEG RADIAL. I DSNDED TO 3000 FT, THEN TO 2000 FT TO REMAIN CLR OF NEW YORK CLASS C AIRSPACE. AT APPROX XC15, I OBTAINED CURRENT ATIS AT CALDWELL (USING RWY 22) AND INTERCEPTED THE LOC APPROX 15 MI FROM THE ARPT. I SWITCHED FROM NEW YORK APCH FREQ TO CALDWELL TWR TO MONITOR TFC FLOW. NOTE: WHEN RWY 22 IS IN USE, TWR WILL USUALLY ALLOW A STRAIGHT-IN APCH. APPROX 8 MI OUT (GPS), I CALLED THE TWR FOR LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADVISED OF A 'BONANZA ON THE LOC 7 MI OUT' AND ASKED IF I HAD TFC IN SIGHT. I REPLIED IN THE NEGATIVE. THE CTLR ASKED AGAIN, THEN DENIED THE STRAIGHT-IN APCH DUE TO TFC AND INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND REPEATED 'L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22.' THE CTLR ASKED TWICE MORE ABOUT THE TFC AHEAD OF ME. I OBSERVED NO TFC. THE OTHER PLT ALSO RPTED 'NO CONTACT.' I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT BONANZA PLT WAS INCORRECT IN RPTING HIS POS SINCE I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE SEEN HIM ONLY 1 MI AHEAD OF ME. I BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH THIS OTHER ACFT BELIEVING THAT HE MAY, IN FACT, HAVE BEEN BEHIND ME. CONTRARY TO INSTRUCTIONS, I PROCEEDED TO FLY TO THE W OF THE FIELD TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22. THE STANDARD TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 22 IS R TFC. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN 8 YRS OF FLYING OUT OF CALDWELL, I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASKED TO FLY L TFC FOR RWY 22. I APPARENTLY HEARD AND ACKNOWLEDGED MY INSTRUCTIONS AND ACTED BASED ON WHAT I EXPECTED TO HEAR. AS I WAS W OF THE FIELD AT PATTERN ALT (1200 FT), THE CTLR ASKED FOR MY POS. I RPTED W OF THE FIELD, WHEN HE REPLIED 'I TOLD YOU TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND. NOW ENTER R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22, USE CAUTION FOR A CESSNA DEPARTING RWY 27.' I PROCEEDED TO SQUARE LAKE (RPTING POINT FOR R DOWNWIND ENTRY TO RWY 22). AS I DID SO, THE CESSNA, DEPARTING RWY 27, PASSED UNDER ME AT APPROX 200 FT. BEING A LOW WING ACFT, MY VISION BELOW WAS LIMITED. THE CESSNA PLT ANGRILY RPTED THAT I HAD JUST PASSED DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. THE CTLR REPLIED 'WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT ON THE GND.' I RPTED 'OVER SQUARE LAKE.' THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD 'THE HIGH WING ON DOWNWIND IN SIGHT.' I REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO FOLLOW THE CESSNA AND THAT I WAS '#2, CLRED TO LAND.' I FOLLOWED THE CESSNA AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON LNDG, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SWITCH TO GND. I DID SO AND WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO THE T-HANGARS. THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM WITH THE TWR. I BELIEVE THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS MY PREOCCUPATION WITH THE POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT WHILE APCHING THE ARPT AND MY FAILURE TO LISTEN AND ACT ON WHAT WAS SAID RATHER THAN ACTING ON WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD AND WHAT I EXPECTED TO HEAR. I HAVE LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON.

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.