Narrative:

The controller issued our aircraft a 'report right base runway 2.' as instructor PIC evaluating a student in his new saratoga, I observed the student return call appropriately and cross over midfield for a right downwind runway 2. I observed citation land on runway 2, but did not know whereabouts precisely of the rj north of the field, but assigned to land runway 20. At midfield, controller verbally assaulted the student, and asserted his instruction to report right base. Student reaffirmed we were not on right base yet. Controller appeared confused and disoriented. He then inexplicably issued us to report right base for runway 20. I recognized the controller's confusion and knew a potential collision conflict existed north of the field. I exercised my authority/authorized as PIC and refused his request to require my student make a salvage attempt to change runways in the confusion of the controller's lost perception of placement of his airplanes. We continued downwind for runway 2, and controller eventually cleared us to land runway 2. The regional jet landed after we taxied off.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PIC DOES NOT COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS AT MKL BECAUSE OF APPARENT CTLR CONFUSION AND POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: THE CTLR ISSUED OUR ACFT A 'RPT R BASE RWY 2.' AS INSTRUCTOR PIC EVALUATING A STUDENT IN HIS NEW SARATOGA, I OBSERVED THE STUDENT RETURN CALL APPROPRIATELY AND CROSS OVER MIDFIELD FOR A R DOWNWIND RWY 2. I OBSERVED CITATION LAND ON RWY 2, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHEREABOUTS PRECISELY OF THE RJ N OF THE FIELD, BUT ASSIGNED TO LAND RWY 20. AT MIDFIELD, CTLR VERBALLY ASSAULTED THE STUDENT, AND ASSERTED HIS INSTRUCTION TO RPT R BASE. STUDENT REAFFIRMED WE WERE NOT ON R BASE YET. CTLR APPEARED CONFUSED AND DISORIENTED. HE THEN INEXPLICABLY ISSUED US TO RPT R BASE FOR RWY 20. I RECOGNIZED THE CTLR'S CONFUSION AND KNEW A POTENTIAL COLLISION CONFLICT EXISTED N OF THE FIELD. I EXERCISED MY AUTH AS PIC AND REFUSED HIS REQUEST TO REQUIRE MY STUDENT MAKE A SALVAGE ATTEMPT TO CHANGE RWYS IN THE CONFUSION OF THE CTLR'S LOST PERCEPTION OF PLACEMENT OF HIS AIRPLANES. WE CONTINUED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 2, AND CTLR EVENTUALLY CLRED US TO LAND RWY 2. THE REGIONAL JET LANDED AFTER WE TAXIED OFF.

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.