Narrative:

While approaching the sdl airport on the phoenix west side transition; ATC advised me to maintain 3500 ft; VFR; squawk 1200; and 'remain on their frequency.' I believe the controller was working a jet on a visual to sdl. I was becoming concerned about the approaching class D airspace at sdl; but the controller had been quite specific. At about 4.5 NM mi; he told me service was terminated and contact sdl tower. I switched to tower and advised them I was inbound from the west side transition with a late handoff. Tower told me to squawk 1200 and identify (I noted on my GPS a distance of 4.2 NM). Since I was already on 1200; I just hit identify. The tower; very irritated; told me to make right 360 degree turns and maintain my altitude; and they would get back to me. After my third 360 degree turn; the tower told me to enter left downwind for runway 21 and my altitude restr was deleted. As I came out of my turn (fortunately maintaining my altitude); a piper single engine aircraft passed about 75 ft below me. At that time the tower reported me as traffic to the piper and they said they had me in sight (now about 1/4 mi past my position). As the tower frequency was quite busy and the situation had passed; I just kept my mouth shut and flew my plane. After landing and cleared to ground control; I received a pretty good verbal going over on entering class D airspace. I replied that phoenix had specifically held me late and that I knew I was close to their airspace. They told me that in the future just call them or tell phoenix that I was leaving the frequency. As I was trying to taxi; I just listened to the rest and thanked her and said it wouldn't happen again. I guess the situation is maybe I did or didn't get my radio call in soon enough; and I was put in the penalty box for some 360 degree turns; and obviously they weren't aware of the near midair collision potential or they wouldn't have removed my altitude restr. I made a couple of flts the next morning and noted that the traffic reports that the tower were giving to us and others often were incorrect by a significant amount; like 'follow the traffic ahead on base in your 11 O'clock position' when the traffic was at 2:30 O'clock position instead. I wonder if the whole issue might be one of accuracy of some kind and a very high workload.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR BE55 ARR TO SDL IS TOLD TO STAY WITH P50 TRACON AND WAS LATE IN CONTACTING TWR RESULTING IN POSSIBLE CLASS D VIOLATION.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING THE SDL ARPT ON THE PHOENIX W SIDE TRANSITION; ATC ADVISED ME TO MAINTAIN 3500 FT; VFR; SQUAWK 1200; AND 'REMAIN ON THEIR FREQ.' I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS WORKING A JET ON A VISUAL TO SDL. I WAS BECOMING CONCERNED ABOUT THE APCHING CLASS D AIRSPACE AT SDL; BUT THE CTLR HAD BEEN QUITE SPECIFIC. AT ABOUT 4.5 NM MI; HE TOLD ME SVC WAS TERMINATED AND CONTACT SDL TWR. I SWITCHED TO TWR AND ADVISED THEM I WAS INBOUND FROM THE W SIDE TRANSITION WITH A LATE HDOF. TWR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND IDENT (I NOTED ON MY GPS A DISTANCE OF 4.2 NM). SINCE I WAS ALREADY ON 1200; I JUST HIT IDENT. THE TWR; VERY IRRITATED; TOLD ME TO MAKE R 360 DEG TURNS AND MAINTAIN MY ALT; AND THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME. AFTER MY THIRD 360 DEG TURN; THE TWR TOLD ME TO ENTER L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21 AND MY ALT RESTR WAS DELETED. AS I CAME OUT OF MY TURN (FORTUNATELY MAINTAINING MY ALT); A PIPER SINGLE ENG ACFT PASSED ABOUT 75 FT BELOW ME. AT THAT TIME THE TWR RPTED ME AS TFC TO THE PIPER AND THEY SAID THEY HAD ME IN SIGHT (NOW ABOUT 1/4 MI PAST MY POS). AS THE TWR FREQ WAS QUITE BUSY AND THE SITUATION HAD PASSED; I JUST KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT AND FLEW MY PLANE. AFTER LNDG AND CLRED TO GND CTL; I RECEIVED A PRETTY GOOD VERBAL GOING OVER ON ENTERING CLASS D AIRSPACE. I REPLIED THAT PHOENIX HAD SPECIFICALLY HELD ME LATE AND THAT I KNEW I WAS CLOSE TO THEIR AIRSPACE. THEY TOLD ME THAT IN THE FUTURE JUST CALL THEM OR TELL PHOENIX THAT I WAS LEAVING THE FREQ. AS I WAS TRYING TO TAXI; I JUST LISTENED TO THE REST AND THANKED HER AND SAID IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I GUESS THE SITUATION IS MAYBE I DID OR DIDN'T GET MY RADIO CALL IN SOON ENOUGH; AND I WAS PUT IN THE PENALTY BOX FOR SOME 360 DEG TURNS; AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF THE NMAC POTENTIAL OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE REMOVED MY ALT RESTR. I MADE A COUPLE OF FLTS THE NEXT MORNING AND NOTED THAT THE TFC RPTS THAT THE TWR WERE GIVING TO US AND OTHERS OFTEN WERE INCORRECT BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT; LIKE 'FOLLOW THE TFC AHEAD ON BASE IN YOUR 11 O'CLOCK POS' WHEN THE TFC WAS AT 2:30 O'CLOCK POS INSTEAD. I WONDER IF THE WHOLE ISSUE MIGHT BE ONE OF ACCURACY OF SOME KIND AND A VERY HIGH WORKLOAD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.