Narrative:

Aircraft #1; plted by me; had departed palo alto; and its purpose was an instrument proficiency check. I was in the left seat; and instructor was in the right seat. After completing the check; we were returning to palo alto VFR. The tower was operating. We contacted the tower outside class D; and were instructed to make right traffic for runway 31. As we approached the airport on a 45 degree entry; we were sequenced behind a cessna single already in the right downwind. After we had passed abeam the approach end of runway 31; we were cleared to land; #3 behind 2 cessna singles. One of these singles was on right base; the other was the traffic we were following on downwind. We acknowledged the clearance; and reported both cessnas in sight. When we turned right base; #1 cessna was on final -- about 1 mi -- and #2 cessna was on a long final; over the shoreline amphitheater. During our turn to base; we heard the tower instructing another aircraft to climb to 1500 ft and make a turn. We did not have this aircraft in sight; nor did we know its precise location. We subsequently turned final; with both cessnas in sight ahead of us. Cessna #1 landed on runway 31; using the full length of the runway. It was apparent that cessna #2 would be unable to land before cessna #1 cleared the runway. The tower instructed cessna #2 to go around. We thus became #1 to land; and it was clear that the first cessna would exit the runway in time to permit us to land safely. The tower then called us; and instructed us to go around. At that point; we were at 400 ft and indicating 60 KTS. I acknowledged the instruction; and applied power and back pressure. Just as our aircraft had leveled off; but before we had started to climb; a piper cheyenne flew above us. He was moving at least 30 KTS faster than us. His left engine was above our cockpit. I estimate the vertical clearance between the 2 aircraft at 25 ft. After he passed us; we experienced a significant roll impulse due to the cheyenne's wake; but were able to regain control. I believe that if I had immediately complied with the go around instruction; before acknowledging it; I would have collided with the cheyenne. It seems to me that the overtaking aircraft; the cheyenne; should have been instructed to go around. They were the overtaking aircraft. We reported the near miss to the tower. We completed the go around and a circuit of the pattern; and landed uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA-28 EXPERIENCED A NEAR MISS WITH A PA-31 ON FINAL APPROACH AT PAO.

Narrative: ACFT #1; PLTED BY ME; HAD DEPARTED PALO ALTO; AND ITS PURPOSE WAS AN INST PROFICIENCY CHK. I WAS IN THE L SEAT; AND INSTRUCTOR WAS IN THE R SEAT. AFTER COMPLETING THE CHK; WE WERE RETURNING TO PALO ALTO VFR. THE TWR WAS OPERATING. WE CONTACTED THE TWR OUTSIDE CLASS D; AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE R TFC FOR RWY 31. AS WE APCHED THE ARPT ON A 45 DEG ENTRY; WE WERE SEQUENCED BEHIND A CESSNA SINGLE ALREADY IN THE R DOWNWIND. AFTER WE HAD PASSED ABEAM THE APCH END OF RWY 31; WE WERE CLRED TO LAND; #3 BEHIND 2 CESSNA SINGLES. ONE OF THESE SINGLES WAS ON R BASE; THE OTHER WAS THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING ON DOWNWIND. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC; AND RPTED BOTH CESSNAS IN SIGHT. WHEN WE TURNED R BASE; #1 CESSNA WAS ON FINAL -- ABOUT 1 MI -- AND #2 CESSNA WAS ON A LONG FINAL; OVER THE SHORELINE AMPHITHEATER. DURING OUR TURN TO BASE; WE HEARD THE TWR INSTRUCTING ANOTHER ACFT TO CLB TO 1500 FT AND MAKE A TURN. WE DID NOT HAVE THIS ACFT IN SIGHT; NOR DID WE KNOW ITS PRECISE LOCATION. WE SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED FINAL; WITH BOTH CESSNAS IN SIGHT AHEAD OF US. CESSNA #1 LANDED ON RWY 31; USING THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RWY. IT WAS APPARENT THAT CESSNA #2 WOULD BE UNABLE TO LAND BEFORE CESSNA #1 CLRED THE RWY. THE TWR INSTRUCTED CESSNA #2 TO GO AROUND. WE THUS BECAME #1 TO LAND; AND IT WAS CLR THAT THE FIRST CESSNA WOULD EXIT THE RWY IN TIME TO PERMIT US TO LAND SAFELY. THE TWR THEN CALLED US; AND INSTRUCTED US TO GO AROUND. AT THAT POINT; WE WERE AT 400 FT AND INDICATING 60 KTS. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE INSTRUCTION; AND APPLIED PWR AND BACK PRESSURE. JUST AS OUR ACFT HAD LEVELED OFF; BUT BEFORE WE HAD STARTED TO CLB; A PIPER CHEYENNE FLEW ABOVE US. HE WAS MOVING AT LEAST 30 KTS FASTER THAN US. HIS L ENG WAS ABOVE OUR COCKPIT. I ESTIMATE THE VERT CLRNC BTWN THE 2 ACFT AT 25 FT. AFTER HE PASSED US; WE EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT ROLL IMPULSE DUE TO THE CHEYENNE'S WAKE; BUT WERE ABLE TO REGAIN CTL. I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH THE GAR INSTRUCTION; BEFORE ACKNOWLEDGING IT; I WOULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH THE CHEYENNE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE OVERTAKING ACFT; THE CHEYENNE; SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND. THEY WERE THE OVERTAKING ACFT. WE RPTED THE NEAR MISS TO THE TWR. WE COMPLETED THE GAR AND A CIRCUIT OF THE PATTERN; AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.