Narrative:

On a long straight in approach into mkc; runway 21; I was cleared to land by the controling tower at mkc. There was heavy congestion on the tower frequency at mkc this night. Approximately 5 mi from the approach end of the runway; I was cleared to land by mkc tower. A few moments after I was cleared to land; I heard a pilot reporting 'cessna left downwind for runway 21.' the tower responded with 'second to land; after the landing traffic (me) on final.' after some frequency congestion; the other cessna pilot responded back; 'I do not see landing traffic; can you point out?' after some frequency congestion again (about 30 seconds later); tower responded 'landing traffic; 4 mi final.' I continued to descend and slowing down my plane to approximately 80 KTS. I then proceeded to lower 10 degrees of flaps. My cessna does not have a notched flap switch; so a visual reading from the flap indicator is needed to stop the flaps from going all the way to 40 degrees. I verified that I had 10 degrees of flaps. When I looked up and saw the other cessna out of the corner of my eye at my 10 O'clock position. The other cessna was about 100 ft in front of me; 200 ft higher than me and 100 ft horizontal from me. The other cessna was banking his hard left turning away; sweeping 80 degrees from my position. Prior to that position; I suspect the other cessna was almost directly on top of me; turning base to final. I immediately broadcast the other cessna's position relative to mine. Tower intervened to the other cessna 'do you have landing traffic in sight?' the other cessna responded with 'I do now.' besides the other cessna being out of my sight; I still feel that I could have done more to locate other traffic. I feel comfortable landing in this controled airport; as this is the base for my cessna; and I have many lndgs here. I am well acclimated with mkc. And; I was 'cleared to land.' I scanned the area for traffic; but there never can be enough scanning for other traffic. Since the incident; I have included mild 'south-turns' into my landing routine in controled airspace. Dipping both wings will increase my visual area significantly. The other factor I think contribute to the incident was frequency congestion. It was congestion coupled with other pilots being impatient. Other pilots were 'in a hurry' to say and ask. This led to pilots talking on top of each other on the frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAS NEAR MIDAIR WITH ANOTHER C172 ON APCH TO MKC.

Narrative: ON A LONG STRAIGHT IN APCH INTO MKC; RWY 21; I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY THE CTLING TWR AT MKC. THERE WAS HVY CONGESTION ON THE TWR FREQ AT MKC THIS NIGHT. APPROX 5 MI FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY; I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY MKC TWR. A FEW MOMENTS AFTER I WAS CLRED TO LAND; I HEARD A PLT RPTING 'CESSNA L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21.' THE TWR RESPONDED WITH 'SECOND TO LAND; AFTER THE LNDG TFC (ME) ON FINAL.' AFTER SOME FREQ CONGESTION; THE OTHER CESSNA PLT RESPONDED BACK; 'I DO NOT SEE LNDG TFC; CAN YOU POINT OUT?' AFTER SOME FREQ CONGESTION AGAIN (ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER); TWR RESPONDED 'LNDG TFC; 4 MI FINAL.' I CONTINUED TO DSND AND SLOWING DOWN MY PLANE TO APPROX 80 KTS. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LOWER 10 DEGS OF FLAPS. MY CESSNA DOES NOT HAVE A NOTCHED FLAP SWITCH; SO A VISUAL READING FROM THE FLAP INDICATOR IS NEEDED TO STOP THE FLAPS FROM GOING ALL THE WAY TO 40 DEGS. I VERIFIED THAT I HAD 10 DEGS OF FLAPS. WHEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE OTHER CESSNA OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE AT MY 10 O'CLOCK POS. THE OTHER CESSNA WAS ABOUT 100 FT IN FRONT OF ME; 200 FT HIGHER THAN ME AND 100 FT HORIZ FROM ME. THE OTHER CESSNA WAS BANKING HIS HARD L TURNING AWAY; SWEEPING 80 DEGS FROM MY POS. PRIOR TO THAT POS; I SUSPECT THE OTHER CESSNA WAS ALMOST DIRECTLY ON TOP OF ME; TURNING BASE TO FINAL. I IMMEDIATELY BROADCAST THE OTHER CESSNA'S POS RELATIVE TO MINE. TWR INTERVENED TO THE OTHER CESSNA 'DO YOU HAVE LNDG TFC IN SIGHT?' THE OTHER CESSNA RESPONDED WITH 'I DO NOW.' BESIDES THE OTHER CESSNA BEING OUT OF MY SIGHT; I STILL FEEL THAT I COULD HAVE DONE MORE TO LOCATE OTHER TFC. I FEEL COMFORTABLE LNDG IN THIS CTLED ARPT; AS THIS IS THE BASE FOR MY CESSNA; AND I HAVE MANY LNDGS HERE. I AM WELL ACCLIMATED WITH MKC. AND; I WAS 'CLRED TO LAND.' I SCANNED THE AREA FOR TFC; BUT THERE NEVER CAN BE ENOUGH SCANNING FOR OTHER TFC. SINCE THE INCIDENT; I HAVE INCLUDED MILD 'S-TURNS' INTO MY LNDG ROUTINE IN CTLED AIRSPACE. DIPPING BOTH WINGS WILL INCREASE MY VISUAL AREA SIGNIFICANTLY. THE OTHER FACTOR I THINK CONTRIBUTE TO THE INCIDENT WAS FREQ CONGESTION. IT WAS CONGESTION COUPLED WITH OTHER PLTS BEING IMPATIENT. OTHER PLTS WERE 'IN A HURRY' TO SAY AND ASK. THIS LED TO PLTS TALKING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER ON THE FREQ.

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.