Narrative:

I was VFR to den with TA's. I was cleared into the class B, direct den. I was handed off to denver tower and told to enter a left downwind for runway 17R, at or above 7000 ft MSL. I entered the downwind from south of the field. As I entered the downwind, I was directly over runway 35R/17L. The controller asked if I could make the turn to final without going across the final approach path for runway 17R. I told him I could. He then cleared me to land on runway 17R, with the advisory to stay east of the approach path for runway 17R. As I turned base, he cleared a B737 for an immediate departure on runway 17R, 'traffic turning base for your runway.' the B737 pulled onto the runway and began its takeoff roll. I had turned final, and was overtaking the B737. I was no more than 1/2 mi behind the B737 at about 500 ft. I told the tower I was 'going around.' they acknowledged and asked if I could land on runway 17L. I told them I could, if I could land long. They approved that and told me they would take me down ec after landing. I turned east and was about 300 ft AGL. I was about 2000 ft south of the threshold for runway 17L, but plenty of runway was left. As I got over runway 17L, I had to bank about 45 degrees to get lined up as I was traveling perpendicular to the runway. As I got to runway 17L, the tower then said I could circle to the north and land runway 17R. By this time, I was only 200 ft AGL and lined up with runway 17L. I told them I would take runway 17L. I landed with 7000 ft of runway remaining. They complimented me with a 'thanks for the help. In retrospect, I should have done a standard go around. By accepting runway 17L, I put myself in a position to have to do some extreme maneuvers and excessive banking close to the ground. I never got too close to the B737 and only my aircraft was compromised. The tower should have seen my approach was close in and not cleared the B737 to depart. There clearly was not sufficient distance between me and the B737. I wanted to accommodate their request (land on runway 17L) to keep the traffic flowing. Additionally, the B737 should have seen I was on a short final and decline the takeoff clearance. Everything worked out, but I should have followed standard procedures (a regular go around) and not agreed to land on runway 17L. The B737 crew should have checked final before taking the runway, and seen that I was too close to allow them to safely depart in front of me. I was complacent because I land there often and know how the plane can handle at low speed and low altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT USED EXCESSIVE BANK ANGLE TO LINE UP FOR LNDG, AFTER BEING ADVISED OF PLT'S OPTION TO CIRCLE TO ANOTHER RWY DUE TO A DEPARTING B737.

Narrative: I WAS VFR TO DEN WITH TA'S. I WAS CLRED INTO THE CLASS B, DIRECT DEN. I WAS HANDED OFF TO DENVER TWR AND TOLD TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17R, AT OR ABOVE 7000 FT MSL. I ENTERED THE DOWNWIND FROM S OF THE FIELD. AS I ENTERED THE DOWNWIND, I WAS DIRECTLY OVER RWY 35R/17L. THE CTLR ASKED IF I COULD MAKE THE TURN TO FINAL WITHOUT GOING ACROSS THE FINAL APCH PATH FOR RWY 17R. I TOLD HIM I COULD. HE THEN CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 17R, WITH THE ADVISORY TO STAY E OF THE APCH PATH FOR RWY 17R. AS I TURNED BASE, HE CLRED A B737 FOR AN IMMEDIATE DEP ON RWY 17R, 'TFC TURNING BASE FOR YOUR RWY.' THE B737 PULLED ONTO THE RWY AND BEGAN ITS TKOF ROLL. I HAD TURNED FINAL, AND WAS OVERTAKING THE B737. I WAS NO MORE THAN 1/2 MI BEHIND THE B737 AT ABOUT 500 FT. I TOLD THE TWR I WAS 'GOING AROUND.' THEY ACKNOWLEDGED AND ASKED IF I COULD LAND ON RWY 17L. I TOLD THEM I COULD, IF I COULD LAND LONG. THEY APPROVED THAT AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD TAKE ME DOWN EC AFTER LNDG. I TURNED E AND WAS ABOUT 300 FT AGL. I WAS ABOUT 2000 FT S OF THE THRESHOLD FOR RWY 17L, BUT PLENTY OF RWY WAS LEFT. AS I GOT OVER RWY 17L, I HAD TO BANK ABOUT 45 DEGS TO GET LINED UP AS I WAS TRAVELING PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY. AS I GOT TO RWY 17L, THE TWR THEN SAID I COULD CIRCLE TO THE N AND LAND RWY 17R. BY THIS TIME, I WAS ONLY 200 FT AGL AND LINED UP WITH RWY 17L. I TOLD THEM I WOULD TAKE RWY 17L. I LANDED WITH 7000 FT OF RWY REMAINING. THEY COMPLIMENTED ME WITH A 'THANKS FOR THE HELP. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE DONE A STANDARD GAR. BY ACCEPTING RWY 17L, I PUT MYSELF IN A POS TO HAVE TO DO SOME EXTREME MANEUVERS AND EXCESSIVE BANKING CLOSE TO THE GND. I NEVER GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE B737 AND ONLY MY ACFT WAS COMPROMISED. THE TWR SHOULD HAVE SEEN MY APCH WAS CLOSE IN AND NOT CLRED THE B737 TO DEPART. THERE CLRLY WAS NOT SUFFICIENT DISTANCE BTWN ME AND THE B737. I WANTED TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR REQUEST (LAND ON RWY 17L) TO KEEP THE TFC FLOWING. ADDITIONALLY, THE B737 SHOULD HAVE SEEN I WAS ON A SHORT FINAL AND DECLINE THE TKOF CLRNC. EVERYTHING WORKED OUT, BUT I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED STANDARD PROCS (A REGULAR GAR) AND NOT AGREED TO LAND ON RWY 17L. THE B737 CREW SHOULD HAVE CHKED FINAL BEFORE TAKING THE RWY, AND SEEN THAT I WAS TOO CLOSE TO ALLOW THEM TO SAFELY DEPART IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS COMPLACENT BECAUSE I LAND THERE OFTEN AND KNOW HOW THE PLANE CAN HANDLE AT LOW SPD AND LOW ALT.

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.