Narrative:

I had been cleared by center to conduct a visual approach and told to contact tower during an IFR flight. Altitude was 5000 ft MSL 7 mi out on a heading for an extended right base. Airport was in sight (elevation = 209 ft). I initiated a descent and became preoccupied with making both a rapid descent and avoiding a couple very small clouds just above a ridge line at 4000 ft MSL. In addition, tower frequency was congested. I finally made contact and reported that I was about 5 mi out descending on an extended right base. I was instructed to report right base. I then heard ATC talking to an airplane on final. Since I was already approaching an extended final, I realized my initial distance report had been in error. I promptly reported to ATC that I was on right base near final with the airplane below and in front in sight. ATC asked if I was the aircraft high on final. I replied yes. ATC instructed me to make a wide right 360 degree turn for sequencing after which a normal landing was made. I think several things contributed here. First, I inadvertently misjudged the distance reported during my initial call-up. Second, frequency congestion and flight duties delayed contact with tower. Third, I should have turned away from class D airspace to give more time to contact tower and conduct the descent. (Center had kept me high due to terrain).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE TOP OF SBP'S CLASS D AIRSPACE IS 2700 FT. THE DSCNT TO 2500 FT FOR A PATTERN ENTRY WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITHOUT BEING IN CONTACT WITH TWR. ONCE THE RPTR MADE CONTACT AND BECAME REORIENTED AS TO HIS POSITION, HIS HEADS UP TO TWR OF HIS CORRECT POSITION WAS TIMELY. THERE IS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHY ARTCC DID NOT HAND THE ACFT OFF TO TWR SINCE IT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. IF THE IFR FLT PLAN HAD BEEN RETAINED WITHOUT THE VISUAL APPROACH, THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN SMOOTHER FOR ALL CONCERNED.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN CLRED BY CTR TO CONDUCT A VISUAL APCH AND TOLD TO CONTACT TWR DURING AN IFR FLT. ALT WAS 5000 FT MSL 7 MI OUT ON A HDG FOR AN EXTENDED R BASE. ARPT WAS IN SIGHT (ELEVATION = 209 FT). I INITIATED A DSCNT AND BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH MAKING BOTH A RAPID DSCNT AND AVOIDING A COUPLE VERY SMALL CLOUDS JUST ABOVE A RIDGE LINE AT 4000 FT MSL. IN ADDITION, TWR FREQ WAS CONGESTED. I FINALLY MADE CONTACT AND RPTED THAT I WAS ABOUT 5 MI OUT DSNDING ON AN EXTENDED R BASE. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO RPT R BASE. I THEN HEARD ATC TALKING TO AN AIRPLANE ON FINAL. SINCE I WAS ALREADY APCHING AN EXTENDED FINAL, I REALIZED MY INITIAL DISTANCE RPT HAD BEEN IN ERROR. I PROMPTLY RPTED TO ATC THAT I WAS ON R BASE NEAR FINAL WITH THE AIRPLANE BELOW AND IN FRONT IN SIGHT. ATC ASKED IF I WAS THE ACFT HIGH ON FINAL. I REPLIED YES. ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE A WIDE R 360 DEG TURN FOR SEQUENCING AFTER WHICH A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. I THINK SEVERAL THINGS CONTRIBUTED HERE. FIRST, I INADVERTENTLY MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE RPTED DURING MY INITIAL CALL-UP. SECOND, FREQ CONGESTION AND FLT DUTIES DELAYED CONTACT WITH TWR. THIRD, I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM CLASS D AIRSPACE TO GIVE MORE TIME TO CONTACT TWR AND CONDUCT THE DSCNT. (CTR HAD KEPT ME HIGH DUE TO TERRAIN).

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.