Narrative:

I had been cleared by the local (tower) controller at ZZZ to transition the class B airspace from the medical center; just south of downtown ZZZ; via the freeway northbound to destination. While on this transition; about 1-2 mi west of ZZZ airport; I noticed an aircraft at my 1 O'clock position that appeared to be on a converging flight path that was headed approximately sbound. At this time I wasn't sure if the traffic was inbound to ZZZ; or on a transition somewhere else. Somewhere during this time; an aircraft called tower and asked if they were cleared to land. There was no response from tower. I determined if I continued on my current course along the freeway I would pass directly in front of this traffic; so I began a right turn to pass behind them. This traffic turned out to be B737 inbound to ZZZ. I don't know which runway; and as I turned right he began his left turn to final. Again there was a call from another aircraft (I believe the B737) to tower asking if they were cleared to land. During this call I realized the aircraft had turned final to the airport; and I began a left turn back to the freeway; again; to pass behind the aircraft. About that time the tower controller came on the radio chastising me because I wasn't directly over the freeway. She told me she needed me west of the freeway and that I was east of it. (She had not told me that before). The B737 aircraft at about this same time initiated a go around; and notified the tower controller that he was going around. I felt I never did have a chance to ask the tower controller about the traffic; which had not been called out to me; because of the other aircraft asking about their landing clearance. I believe had I not turned right in the first place to avoid flight path of the B737; there would probably have been no conflict; but I had no way to know that; and felt I had to exercise my VFR see and avoid responsibility. Also; if the tower controller had advised me that she had traffic inbound for the runway earlier; I would not have had to guess as to the intentions of the traffic I observed on what appeared to be a conflicting flight path. In waiting for the aircraft asking about their landing clearance to get an answer; I missed the only chance I had to inquire about the other aircraft. I should have spoken up immediately. I believe the local tower controller had a clear picture of where everyone was; and where they were going at the time; and that she knew if I stayed directly over the freeway I would pass behind the B737; but since she didn't call out this traffic to me; I had no way of knowing this plan. Better communications all around would have prevented this situation from developing. I do not believe an unsafe situation ever developed; however; I believe the B737 had to needlessly do a go around because of a lack of communication. I am not sure if he did a go around because of me or not; but I believe it was because he never did receive his landing clearance. Also; about 10-11 hours later; I had occasion to fly this exact route again; and this time; the controller told me to remain east of the freeway. Apparently; the first controller expected me to remain west of the freeway; but never communicated that to me. In the future; I will be more proactive about asking for information with regards to traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A109 PLT RPTS MISUNDERSTANDING WITH ZZZ TWR CTLR WHILE TRANSITING ZZZ1 CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN CLRED BY THE LCL (TWR) CTLR AT ZZZ TO TRANSITION THE CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER; JUST S OF DOWNTOWN ZZZ; VIA THE FREEWAY NBOUND TO DEST. WHILE ON THIS TRANSITION; ABOUT 1-2 MI W OF ZZZ ARPT; I NOTICED AN ACFT AT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS THAT APPEARED TO BE ON A CONVERGING FLT PATH THAT WAS HEADED APPROX SBOUND. AT THIS TIME I WASN'T SURE IF THE TFC WAS INBOUND TO ZZZ; OR ON A TRANSITION SOMEWHERE ELSE. SOMEWHERE DURING THIS TIME; AN ACFT CALLED TWR AND ASKED IF THEY WERE CLRED TO LAND. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM TWR. I DETERMINED IF I CONTINUED ON MY CURRENT COURSE ALONG THE FREEWAY I WOULD PASS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THIS TFC; SO I BEGAN A R TURN TO PASS BEHIND THEM. THIS TFC TURNED OUT TO BE B737 INBOUND TO ZZZ. I DON'T KNOW WHICH RWY; AND AS I TURNED R HE BEGAN HIS L TURN TO FINAL. AGAIN THERE WAS A CALL FROM ANOTHER ACFT (I BELIEVE THE B737) TO TWR ASKING IF THEY WERE CLRED TO LAND. DURING THIS CALL I REALIZED THE ACFT HAD TURNED FINAL TO THE ARPT; AND I BEGAN A L TURN BACK TO THE FREEWAY; AGAIN; TO PASS BEHIND THE ACFT. ABOUT THAT TIME THE TWR CTLR CAME ON THE RADIO CHASTISING ME BECAUSE I WASN'T DIRECTLY OVER THE FREEWAY. SHE TOLD ME SHE NEEDED ME W OF THE FREEWAY AND THAT I WAS E OF IT. (SHE HAD NOT TOLD ME THAT BEFORE). THE B737 ACFT AT ABOUT THIS SAME TIME INITIATED A GAR; AND NOTIFIED THE TWR CTLR THAT HE WAS GOING AROUND. I FELT I NEVER DID HAVE A CHANCE TO ASK THE TWR CTLR ABOUT THE TFC; WHICH HAD NOT BEEN CALLED OUT TO ME; BECAUSE OF THE OTHER ACFT ASKING ABOUT THEIR LNDG CLRNC. I BELIEVE HAD I NOT TURNED R IN THE FIRST PLACE TO AVOID FLT PATH OF THE B737; THERE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN NO CONFLICT; BUT I HAD NO WAY TO KNOW THAT; AND FELT I HAD TO EXERCISE MY VFR SEE AND AVOID RESPONSIBILITY. ALSO; IF THE TWR CTLR HAD ADVISED ME THAT SHE HAD TFC INBOUND FOR THE RWY EARLIER; I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO GUESS AS TO THE INTENTIONS OF THE TFC I OBSERVED ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CONFLICTING FLT PATH. IN WAITING FOR THE ACFT ASKING ABOUT THEIR LNDG CLRNC TO GET AN ANSWER; I MISSED THE ONLY CHANCE I HAD TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE OTHER ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP IMMEDIATELY. I BELIEVE THE LCL TWR CTLR HAD A CLR PICTURE OF WHERE EVERYONE WAS; AND WHERE THEY WERE GOING AT THE TIME; AND THAT SHE KNEW IF I STAYED DIRECTLY OVER THE FREEWAY I WOULD PASS BEHIND THE B737; BUT SINCE SHE DIDN'T CALL OUT THIS TFC TO ME; I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THIS PLAN. BETTER COMS ALL AROUND WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SITUATION FROM DEVELOPING. I DO NOT BELIEVE AN UNSAFE SITUATION EVER DEVELOPED; HOWEVER; I BELIEVE THE B737 HAD TO NEEDLESSLY DO A GAR BECAUSE OF A LACK OF COM. I AM NOT SURE IF HE DID A GAR BECAUSE OF ME OR NOT; BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS BECAUSE HE NEVER DID RECEIVE HIS LNDG CLRNC. ALSO; ABOUT 10-11 HRS LATER; I HAD OCCASION TO FLY THIS EXACT RTE AGAIN; AND THIS TIME; THE CTLR TOLD ME TO REMAIN E OF THE FREEWAY. APPARENTLY; THE FIRST CTLR EXPECTED ME TO REMAIN W OF THE FREEWAY; BUT NEVER COMMUNICATED THAT TO ME. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL BE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT ASKING FOR INFO WITH REGARDS TO TFC.

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.