Narrative:

On a wkend flight home with the family, I was on downwind at 800 ft in the pattern. My speed was relatively high (140 KIAS) due to a rapid descent (probably late) from 6500 ft over sunol. Tower reported traffic during downwind while I shortly thereafter spotted and reported in sight. I was about 1 1/2 - 2 mi on the 45 degree (for runway 31R traffic). As I tried to slow down to my gear down speed of 129 KIAS, I didn't focus enough attention outside and lost my traffic (a cessna). I did not tell the tower 'negative on the traffic.' shortly thereafter, about 1 1/2 - 2 mo from the approach end of runway 31, I suddenly saw the cessna turning base underneath me. I had (thank god) not descended yet, but was starting to. I immediately pulled up and to the left since it looked as if the cessna was going to cross my path. The tower up to that point had not warned me of the traffic being too close. I simply nearly overran the other aircraft. As I continued on downwind, I asked tower for turing base several times. The third time I heard some different voices on the frequency and one voice said 'you're talking to bay.' I will never know whether my evasive maneuver pushed the radio switch button on my yoke or if my radios malfunctioned. After switching the frequency to communication #1, I heard the tower say 'turn base' with a loud, impatient voice. He probably had told me that several times, but I didn't hear it. No mention of the near miss. I think the tower (and the cessna) never saw me! Conclusion: descend earlier and fly slower in the pattern, have the gear down on the 34. Keep eyes outside all the time and report lost traffic immediately. I was too complacent that day.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT HAD AN NMAC WITH A HIGH WING CESSNA AT PAO.

Narrative: ON A WKEND FLT HOME WITH THE FAMILY, I WAS ON DOWNWIND AT 800 FT IN THE PATTERN. MY SPD WAS RELATIVELY HIGH (140 KIAS) DUE TO A RAPID DSCNT (PROBABLY LATE) FROM 6500 FT OVER SUNOL. TWR RPTED TFC DURING DOWNWIND WHILE I SHORTLY THEREAFTER SPOTTED AND RPTED IN SIGHT. I WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 MI ON THE 45 DEG (FOR RWY 31R TFC). AS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO MY GEAR DOWN SPD OF 129 KIAS, I DIDN'T FOCUS ENOUGH ATTN OUTSIDE AND LOST MY TFC (A CESSNA). I DID NOT TELL THE TWR 'NEGATIVE ON THE TFC.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 MO FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 31, I SUDDENLY SAW THE CESSNA TURNING BASE UNDERNEATH ME. I HAD (THANK GOD) NOT DSNDED YET, BUT WAS STARTING TO. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP AND TO THE L SINCE IT LOOKED AS IF THE CESSNA WAS GOING TO CROSS MY PATH. THE TWR UP TO THAT POINT HAD NOT WARNED ME OF THE TFC BEING TOO CLOSE. I SIMPLY NEARLY OVERRAN THE OTHER ACFT. AS I CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND, I ASKED TWR FOR TURING BASE SEVERAL TIMES. THE THIRD TIME I HEARD SOME DIFFERENT VOICES ON THE FREQ AND ONE VOICE SAID 'YOU'RE TALKING TO BAY.' I WILL NEVER KNOW WHETHER MY EVASIVE MANEUVER PUSHED THE RADIO SWITCH BUTTON ON MY YOKE OR IF MY RADIOS MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER SWITCHING THE FREQ TO COM #1, I HEARD THE TWR SAY 'TURN BASE' WITH A LOUD, IMPATIENT VOICE. HE PROBABLY HAD TOLD ME THAT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR IT. NO MENTION OF THE NEAR MISS. I THINK THE TWR (AND THE CESSNA) NEVER SAW ME! CONCLUSION: DSND EARLIER AND FLY SLOWER IN THE PATTERN, HAVE THE GEAR DOWN ON THE 34. KEEP EYES OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME AND RPT LOST TFC IMMEDIATELY. I WAS TOO COMPLACENT THAT 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.