Narrative:

I was returning to ryan field; tucson; az; after a local flight around the tucson area. I was approaching the airport from the northwest; and called the tower for landing clearance when 10 mi out; which is a typical procedure. He instructed me to report a 2 mi left base for runway 6L. I was 5 mi away; and around 3500 ft MSL in altitude; when I noticed a C150 at my 3 O'clock position; slightly higher and flying in roughly the same direction as me. I advised the tower controller of the other cessna; and he replied that he wasn't talking to the other aircraft. I tried to keep the cessna in sight; but it was on a different heading than I; and was soon obscured by my wing. I started a left 360 degree turn for traffic avoidance; and advised the tower controller of my actions. He replied with 'it's all VFR out there.' after one turn; I could no longer see the cessna traffic; so I continued inbound and advised the tower controller of this; with no response. Once I neared the 2 mi reporting point; I was unable to advise the controller of my position; as he had 3 other aircraft in the l-hand pattern for runway 6L; and the frequency was congested. This situation was complicated by the presence of several aircraft in the pattern plted by foreign students from a local airline training school; who tend to cause additional frequency congestion due to their limited english skills. I continued inbound to within a mi or so of the runway; and began a right 360 degree turn to stay out of the traffic pattern. The tower controller soon called that he saw '2 cessnas flying 360's out there' (not sure who the other one was); and I immediately idented myself. He advised me to stay wide of the traffic pattern and to start a turn away from the airport; and to position myself for a long final to the parallel runway 6R. I did; advised when turning final as instructed; and landed normally.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 HAS AN NMAC DURING APCH FOR LNDG AT RYN.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO RYAN FIELD; TUCSON; AZ; AFTER A LCL FLT AROUND THE TUCSON AREA. I WAS APCHING THE ARPT FROM THE NW; AND CALLED THE TWR FOR LNDG CLRNC WHEN 10 MI OUT; WHICH IS A TYPICAL PROC. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO RPT A 2 MI L BASE FOR RWY 6L. I WAS 5 MI AWAY; AND AROUND 3500 FT MSL IN ALT; WHEN I NOTICED A C150 AT MY 3 O'CLOCK POS; SLIGHTLY HIGHER AND FLYING IN ROUGHLY THE SAME DIRECTION AS ME. I ADVISED THE TWR CTLR OF THE OTHER CESSNA; AND HE REPLIED THAT HE WASN'T TALKING TO THE OTHER ACFT. I TRIED TO KEEP THE CESSNA IN SIGHT; BUT IT WAS ON A DIFFERENT HDG THAN I; AND WAS SOON OBSCURED BY MY WING. I STARTED A L 360 DEG TURN FOR TFC AVOIDANCE; AND ADVISED THE TWR CTLR OF MY ACTIONS. HE REPLIED WITH 'IT'S ALL VFR OUT THERE.' AFTER ONE TURN; I COULD NO LONGER SEE THE CESSNA TFC; SO I CONTINUED INBOUND AND ADVISED THE TWR CTLR OF THIS; WITH NO RESPONSE. ONCE I NEARED THE 2 MI RPTING POINT; I WAS UNABLE TO ADVISE THE CTLR OF MY POS; AS HE HAD 3 OTHER ACFT IN THE L-HAND PATTERN FOR RWY 6L; AND THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED. THIS SITUATION WAS COMPLICATED BY THE PRESENCE OF SEVERAL ACFT IN THE PATTERN PLTED BY FOREIGN STUDENTS FROM A LCL AIRLINE TRAINING SCHOOL; WHO TEND TO CAUSE ADDITIONAL FREQ CONGESTION DUE TO THEIR LIMITED ENGLISH SKILLS. I CONTINUED INBOUND TO WITHIN A MI OR SO OF THE RWY; AND BEGAN A R 360 DEG TURN TO STAY OUT OF THE TFC PATTERN. THE TWR CTLR SOON CALLED THAT HE SAW '2 CESSNAS FLYING 360'S OUT THERE' (NOT SURE WHO THE OTHER ONE WAS); AND I IMMEDIATELY IDENTED MYSELF. HE ADVISED ME TO STAY WIDE OF THE TFC PATTERN AND TO START A TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT; AND TO POS MYSELF FOR A LONG FINAL TO THE PARALLEL RWY 6R. I DID; ADVISED WHEN TURNING FINAL AS INSTRUCTED; AND LANDED NORMALLY.

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.