Narrative:

As I was approaching the 4 ATC VFR entrance gates into gfk, I was directed to enter the southwestern gate (wausau). I was flying a piper arrow descending from 3500 ft MSL to 1600 ft MSL. While at around 2500 ft MSL, I saw a piper warrior III. By this time I was heading almost north getting ready to enter a left downwind to runway 35R. The warrior was low and to my right. As I saw this traffic, I immediately leveled off and made a left turn to give myself more clearance. The other aircraft was most likely talking to gfk approach and, judging by the altitude, the warrior was most likely on an instrument flight plan. Therefore, he most likely knew I was there, but I can't be sure because I was on tower and did not receive an advisory. Though the distance between the 2 aircraft was most likely more than 500 ft, I felt that an alteration of course was imperative. I would be reluctant to call this a near miss seeing as though we seemed to be more than 500 ft apart, and the fact that we were both in the airport environment. So I'm very, very confident that there is no blame in this situation. However, an ATC advisory would have been greatly appreciated. But in their defense, it was a horribly busy day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OCCURS WHEN AN ARR PA28 ARROW PLT TURNS TO AVOID A PA28 WARRIOR ENCROACHING UPON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF RWY 35 AT GFK, ND.

Narrative: AS I WAS APCHING THE 4 ATC VFR ENTRANCE GATES INTO GFK, I WAS DIRECTED TO ENTER THE SOUTHWESTERN GATE (WAUSAU). I WAS FLYING A PIPER ARROW DSNDING FROM 3500 FT MSL TO 1600 FT MSL. WHILE AT AROUND 2500 FT MSL, I SAW A PIPER WARRIOR III. BY THIS TIME I WAS HEADING ALMOST N GETTING READY TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 35R. THE WARRIOR WAS LOW AND TO MY R. AS I SAW THIS TFC, I IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF AND MADE A L TURN TO GIVE MYSELF MORE CLRNC. THE OTHER ACFT WAS MOST LIKELY TALKING TO GFK APCH AND, JUDGING BY THE ALT, THE WARRIOR WAS MOST LIKELY ON AN INST FLT PLAN. THEREFORE, HE MOST LIKELY KNEW I WAS THERE, BUT I CAN'T BE SURE BECAUSE I WAS ON TWR AND DID NOT RECEIVE AN ADVISORY. THOUGH THE DISTANCE BTWN THE 2 ACFT WAS MOST LIKELY MORE THAN 500 FT, I FELT THAT AN ALTERATION OF COURSE WAS IMPERATIVE. I WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO CALL THIS A NEAR MISS SEEING AS THOUGH WE SEEMED TO BE MORE THAN 500 FT APART, AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE BOTH IN THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. SO I'M VERY, VERY CONFIDENT THAT THERE IS NO BLAME IN THIS SIT. HOWEVER, AN ATC ADVISORY WOULD HAVE BEEN GREATLY APPRECIATED. BUT IN THEIR DEFENSE, IT WAS A HORRIBLY BUSY DAY.

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.