Mooney and cessna had less than legal spacing at pao.

Attributes
ACN	517797
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pao.tower tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : pao.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	517797
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist controller : separated traffic
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My aircraft was flown downwind to right traffic pattern to runway 31 at pao airport. The turn to base was normal, but I was looking somewhat into the setting sun. I checked for straight-in traffic possibilities. At about the point of the turn to final, pao tower called via radio and directed me not to turn final, but to proceed straight ahead to execute left 270 degree turn for turn to final. At this point, I saw the other aircraft converging at my altitude at 11 O'clock position. The other aircraft passed off to my left. Pao tower called the other aircraft that was performing left traffic pattern (turning base to final to runway 31 also). There was clearly a near miss conflict. The other aircraft asked what happened and was told by the tower 'you were following right aircraft but turned too soon,' (if I recall). The pilot was most apologetic. The tower was also apologetic and professional. I suggest that the busy time (there were several aircraft in the pattern) and setting sun contributed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOONEY AND CESSNA HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SPACING AT PAO.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS FLOWN DOWNWIND TO R TFC PATTERN TO RWY 31 AT PAO ARPT. THE TURN TO BASE WAS NORMAL, BUT I WAS LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTO THE SETTING SUN. I CHKED FOR STRAIGHT-IN TFC POSSIBILITIES. AT ABOUT THE POINT OF THE TURN TO FINAL, PAO TWR CALLED VIA RADIO AND DIRECTED ME NOT TO TURN FINAL, BUT TO PROCEED STRAIGHT AHEAD TO EXECUTE L 270 DEG TURN FOR TURN TO FINAL. AT THIS POINT, I SAW THE OTHER ACFT CONVERGING AT MY ALT AT 11 O'CLOCK POS. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED OFF TO MY L. PAO TWR CALLED THE OTHER ACFT THAT WAS PERFORMING L TFC PATTERN (TURNING BASE TO FINAL TO RWY 31 ALSO). THERE WAS CLRLY A NEAR MISS CONFLICT. THE OTHER ACFT ASKED WHAT HAPPENED AND WAS TOLD BY THE TWR 'YOU WERE FOLLOWING R ACFT BUT TURNED TOO SOON,' (IF I RECALL). THE PLT WAS MOST APOLOGETIC. THE TWR WAS ALSO APOLOGETIC AND PROFESSIONAL. I SUGGEST THAT THE BUSY TIME (THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT IN THE PATTERN) AND SETTING SUN CONTRIBUTED.

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.