Narrative:

I called vny tower at santa susana pass for landing with ATIS information. My altitude was 2900 ft; airspeed 100 KTS; heading 100 degrees. Controller acknowledged call; said traffic would be a 'cessna ahead at 11 O'clock position; you're #2 for runway one six right.' I didn't see the traffic; said; looking. In the meantime; other pilots called in and controller was answering their calls. About 2 mins later; I spotted the traffic; from north; making a straight-in approach on long final. I called controller; traffic in sight. I had already started a descent; leveling off at 2300 ft; 85 KTS; 2000 FPM. When I saw the other plane seconds from landing; I was still about 2 mi from the airport. At about 1.5 mi from airport; nearing base leg; I slowed to 75 KTS; 1500 RPM; 10 degrees flaps. Then controller said; 'cessna X; following cessna Y; cleared to land one six right.' controller also cautioned; traffic on parallel runway. Nearing entry to final; I was high -- 1800 ft. I put 20 degrees flaps in; then saw the cessna at my left; slightly higher altitude; about 400-500 ft. I turned to left; and other plane made a steep descent to the left. The airport was very busy. At one point; I stepped on the tower's communication. The 'traffic' that the controller alerted me to was not the traffic I saw; but another plane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PILOT HAS NEAR MISS WITH ANOTHER LANDING CESSNA AT VNY.

Narrative: I CALLED VNY TWR AT SANTA SUSANA PASS FOR LNDG WITH ATIS INFO. MY ALT WAS 2900 FT; AIRSPD 100 KTS; HDG 100 DEGS. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED CALL; SAID TFC WOULD BE A 'CESSNA AHEAD AT 11 O'CLOCK POS; YOU'RE #2 FOR RWY ONE SIX R.' I DIDN'T SEE THE TFC; SAID; LOOKING. IN THE MEANTIME; OTHER PLTS CALLED IN AND CTLR WAS ANSWERING THEIR CALLS. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER; I SPOTTED THE TFC; FROM N; MAKING A STRAIGHT-IN APCH ON LONG FINAL. I CALLED CTLR; TFC IN SIGHT. I HAD ALREADY STARTED A DSCNT; LEVELING OFF AT 2300 FT; 85 KTS; 2000 FPM. WHEN I SAW THE OTHER PLANE SECONDS FROM LNDG; I WAS STILL ABOUT 2 MI FROM THE ARPT. AT ABOUT 1.5 MI FROM ARPT; NEARING BASE LEG; I SLOWED TO 75 KTS; 1500 RPM; 10 DEGS FLAPS. THEN CTLR SAID; 'CESSNA X; FOLLOWING CESSNA Y; CLRED TO LAND ONE SIX R.' CTLR ALSO CAUTIONED; TFC ON PARALLEL RWY. NEARING ENTRY TO FINAL; I WAS HIGH -- 1800 FT. I PUT 20 DEGS FLAPS IN; THEN SAW THE CESSNA AT MY L; SLIGHTLY HIGHER ALT; ABOUT 400-500 FT. I TURNED TO L; AND OTHER PLANE MADE A STEEP DSCNT TO THE L. THE ARPT WAS VERY BUSY. AT ONE POINT; I STEPPED ON THE TWR'S COM. THE 'TFC' THAT THE CTLR ALERTED ME TO WAS NOT THE TFC I SAW; BUT ANOTHER PLANE.

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.